2006 resolutions

It's the 'twix and 'tween time as the end of the year draws to a close. I am one of the incredibly fortunate to have the day off from my regular duties of paid labour. I'm home with CU3 this week. CU1 and 2 will be joining us next week for another week of R&R.

The house is currently quiet. CU3 struggling to stay awake in case I do something more exciting then vacuum up the Cherrio/dog/cat food breakfast concoction she created for this morning's snack.

We have a smattering of presents still under the tree as they wait for our New Years Eve party when we're all back together. As DH's birthday has also been saved for the end of the year, we're going to make it an enormous birthday party where every one gets presents.

I took a walk this morning with CU3. It was pleasant, a bit nippy, but that is to be expected at this time of year, and for the next few months. I took my little digital camera with me as I used to kick myself about not capturing a feeling, a picture, a this or that when I was using only regular film stock. The digital medium allows me to take more chances and make more mistakes all for the cost of a couple of batteries. Not a bad deal I would say.

The walk allowed me time alone with my thoughts, as CU3 is not a talkative child. I've been walking backwards through 2005. It's been like walking through an antique store of memories, picking up this curio and that memory. Nothing I'd want to buy or take home with me, but nice to know that they're there.

One sub-theme that's present is my unmistakable approach to life. I've been told it's like no other and I'm just starting to believe that this may be the case. This December I've had close friends, acquaintances and family give me a two-minute roast, recounting something that I've done that has given them some laugh or relieved some level of grief. There's the story of me at 13 bullying the Mothership to our small town's best (read only) hotel in the middle of a nasty winter to sit in their hot tub for a couple of hours. Then there's a story from a relative who told his postmaster how I would mail packages in summer with Christmas packing tape, just to zing the postal system! I do these things without thinking. Maybe that's my problem. I don't take a conscious approach to my creativity. I know that I certainly have a problem with sustaining a long-term project, preferring to attempt something that has almost instantaneous results.

This brings me to one of the Christmas presents I received this year: Letters to a Young Artist: Building a Life in Art by Julia Cameron. Ms. Cameron is widely renown as a bestselling author of The Artist's Way a well-thumbed manual on doing art and making time for everything else. I must confess I haven't read her other work(s), though I know of them and often direct my disillusioned, creatively stuck friends. I'm wondering if 2006 is a year that I am to heed the call for closer examination??

'Twas in the moon of wintertime

'Twas in the moon of wintertime, when all the birds had fled,
The mighty Creator of all sent spirit-choirs instea;
Before their light the stars grew dim,
And wandering hunters heard the hymn;
Jesus High Chief is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Within a lodge of sturdy bark the tender Babe was found;
A simple robe of rabbit skins enwrapped his beauty round,
For as the hunting men drew near,
the Spirit's drums rang loud and clear!
Jesus High Chief is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

The earliest moon of wintertime is not so round and fair
As was the ring of glory on the helpless infant there.
Great chiefs from far before him knelt
With gifts of fox and beaver-pelt.
Jesus High Chief is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

O children of the forest free, who dwell beneath the sun,
The holy Child of earth and sky has come to make you one.
Come kneel before the radiant boy,
Who brings you beauty, peace and joy.
Jesus High Chief is born, Jesus is born, in excelsis gloria.

Happy winter solstice.

Crumbs

With all the precautions in place, it seems that things are just tanking this week.

My toothbrushes going the way of the dark side. CU3 is home sick. My shoulder is frozen, twisted from sleeping funny. I'm doped up on cold medication to keep whatever is going around from coming to get me as I'm on course again this week. And I had marathon baking scheduled for the community Christmas supper on Sunday. Now I've just found out that my bread maker just breathed its last. I'm hoping it doesn't cost a lot of dough to replace.

Blue Christmas

We light this candle to remember those we have loved and lost. We pause to remember their names, their faces, their voices, the memories that bind them to us in this season.

We light this second candle to redeem the pain of loss: the loss of relationships, the loss of jobs, the loss of health. We pause to gather up the pain of the past and offer it to God, asking that from God's hands we receive the gift of peace.

We light this third candle to remember these past weeks and months: the disbelief, the anger, the down times, the joy and sorrow of memories, the hugs and handshakes of family and friends who care for us. We give thanks for the support we have known.

We light this fourth candle to remember our faith and the gift of hope that the Christmas story offers us. We give thanks for all the support we have known.

AWOL

Tooth brush. Purple. About 5 inches long. Last seen before Hurricane Isabelle got up.

Sigh.

Snow daze

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens;
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens;
Brown paper packages tied up with strings;
These are a few of my favorite things.

I love snow days.

I love storms.

I love the light of winter.

Snow is the Canadian version of Jamacian sand.

Bring it on.

It's a week before Christmas

It's a week before Christmas and I'm bagged.

We just got a foot of snow, all CUs are home, and I'm still getting Christmas boxes prepared to mail out. All I can say is Santa, can I get a little help this year?

On the home front, a lot of fun things have happened. I got a picture I submitted to our local community paper published, and our house won the Creative the lights display for Domestic residents.

CU2 is going to be in a church pagent, as well as the school chorus.

I got my advanced certificate in Business Analysis from CDI/McMasters University.

I finished up a distance education course with Malaspina University-College and Papa Ours is writing his ergonomics exam today.

Most of the holiday baking that I prepared for the Christmas dinner has been chipped away at which means that I'll have to start all over.

What can I say, but life is good.

Oh come all ye faithful!

While outside on my porch this evening for an adult version of time out, I watched a car drive up and what to me looked like try and park in front of the house. This type of activity is relatively normal in our residential neighborhood. What got me to head scratching was watching it slowly drive forward, then back, then forward again.

Seeing that I had a run in with a guy a few weeks ago and was intimidated by how he and his companion sat and stared at me while I was entering the house, I grew a bit concerned.

As I watched the peculiar event unfolded, a window rolled down. "Is this 2631 Pinard Street?" the passenger asked.

Ya, I responded, not sure what was up.

"Do you have a manger?"

"Yah! Around the corner" I responded.

"We're from the church. Bulletin organizers."

"Oh, that explains everything."

Two week ago there was a notice in the church bulletin asking for a display of crèches throughout the community. I thought it was quiet doable and set out to work with some of the found mongo: two parts of IKEA shoe shelves, a wooden toy dish rack, and a bail of hay started things off. Some wrecked wood was salvageable and the forms of Mary and Joseph were cut out. The mothership offered to paint Mary and Joseph. Baby Jesus'll be a two-by-four that will arrive before Christmas.

This last Sunday there was a new note in the church bulletin saying that they've asked for a dialog about the visibility of crèches and everything's been quiet. I sent a response, via the collection basket stating "we hear, and we responded!"

Now our address will be published in the next church bulletin for people to come and see.

Oh come all ye faithful!

Huh?

With 20 days to celebration time, I'm already brain dead. I think I've been walking around this way for a couple of weeks and can't shake it. I've talked to many people about this phenomina and have several hypothesis, grey days of winter setting in being the most popular suggestion.

It is true, we've had a few snow days, mostly everything has melted within a week though. I sincerely wished it would snow more because it might help me get in the mood for the season (though now that we have the tree up, the cats are getting into the season, trying to help us rearrange the decorations).

Very slowly I've started on the massive Christmas baking activities. I'm trying some of Grandma C's fudge (my first fudge ever). CU-2 has helped with the Rum Balls and the Lace Cookies. I've got to get a move on if the CARE packages are going to get out before Christmas.