Peace and Joy in January

There is a certain rhythm to the year, and for me it has changed from what it used to be.  Time was, when we had children, and MyTreasure was still working, it was based on the school year.  September signalled the big lead up to the holidays, and there was merriment and celebration through to New Year's.  By January I was always sick, usually with some kind of cold that lingered through February, and all I could think about was the ending of winter and longer days of sunshine.  

This year, December was crazy--possibly due to the lost week between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I confess I was happy to have the holidays all done and over.  January has arrived, and I am NOT sick.  It is quiet here, and I have been catching up with some reading, a little knitting, some fine dvd's from the library, and keeping up with friends.  This week I pulled out recipes that have been collecting on my kitchen counter, and I am setting up for some serious weeks of Weight Watcher friendly cooking.  I even have plans for going through some of the collections of items that need to leave this house.  I was in touch with a lady yesterday on Freecycle who is looking for sewing patterns.  Maybe she will even like some fabric.  

So, it looks like those Christmas card wishes of "Peace and Joy in the New Year" are coming true for me.  I wish you all the same!

Side Yard Drama

We have a bird feeder outside our kitchen window--well actually we are presently up to four bird feeders with a variety of seed which supposedly attracts different varieties of birds.  We have always been blessed with an active community of cardinals.  They are so pretty, especially when there is snow on the ground the way there is now.  New this year are a group of four titmice.  Once in a while a single wren comes by, a couple of chickadees, a large group of purple house finches and of course, the inevitable sparrows.  We only had a few in the early fall, but another group flew in, and they are plentiful.  A pair of gold finches came by and checked out the new feeder filled with thistle seed, but didn't take any and went on their way.  Maybe they'll be back.

Last week, we saw a hawk on a branch in the next yard.  Yesterday he was in our lilac bush--sat for a few seconds, and then helped him/herself to a sparrow who must have thought he was safe in the forsythia bush.  What a surprise!  Both MyTreasure and I saw it--couldn't have been more than 45 seconds all together.  

This morning we heard a big clunk on the storm window, and went and looked, and there at the corner of the foundation was the hawk struggling with something that it had taken down.  We think it was a dove.  They were caught in one of the wire plant supports and the hawk couldn't lift off.  He finally gave up and flew to the top of the shepherd's hook that holds the new thistle seed feeder, and sat there a while to rest--with a beakfull of gray feathers.  Then he went.  BUT!  In about 10 minutes he was back to make another attempt, and this time after some maneuvering between the fence and the bushes, got his catch out, and flew off to the south--pretty much in the direction that we had seen him the very first time.  MT had time to fetch the camera, and snapped off a few pictures.  We still aren't sure what kind of a hawk it is, but it is no more than 12-14" in size.

So, we are running a kind of birdie buffet out there.  I guess everybody's hungry in the winter, but I confess I'd be happy if the hawk would stick to the rodents.

Small Favors

The weather has been horrible.  Well, I guess that is a relative term since I have lived in places where it has been MUCH worse, but today was a saving grace.  When every hour is scheduled, a cancellation can be a Godsend.  While I love going to my annual doll club luncheon, I was elated when the call came through that it was cancelled due to bad weather.  Now, there is bad weather, and BAD weather.  Having spent my college years at the very tip-top of New York State, I know BAD weather.  For heavens sake--if you waited for decent weather up there you wouldn't have any life at all, so you just got on with it.  Granted, when you went out on the road that had a 1" base of solid ice covered with 2' of snow, and the temperature at -20*, there wasn't a lot of competition for space on the road.  If your car skidded across two or three lanes of roadway, chances were good that there wasn't anybody else out there to argue with you while you wrestled your car back into compliance, and you learned about all there was to know about handling a car in crisis.  I am grateful for that early training, because, like learning to ride a bicycle, it stays with you forever.  I kind of chuckle over the weather crises that we have here on Long Island, because they are pretty wussy.  But, wussy can be life threatening when confronted by three lanes of folks who think they can actually stop those SUV's on a dime, and tend to ride at 50+ no matter what.  So--it's all relative.

When the call came about the luncheon cancellation, I headed to the grocery stores with my list in hand, considering it a golden opportunity, since everyone else would be in the mall, hunting up those last minute gifts.  The stores weren't bad, except that they didn't have many checkers on, but I was able to get what I needed, and so I head into next week well prepared, and armed for all the company to come.  Our house is the holiday place, since we have a big dining room, and the layout is great for large gatherings.  People can blend from one room to the next, depending on the conversation, they can get around freely, and I like to think that the food is pretty good.  We always have a house full, and it is the greatest pleasure.  I have an aunt who always said that it was a joy to have people who wanted to come and visit, and she was absolutely right.  In fact, it may be time to schedule a visit with her, since it has been a while.  I used to feel it was in imposition, but now I see it differently.  God bless her and all the courageous folks who had us over weekends when our kids were growing up.  Entertaining a family with five active children is a daunting prospect that I appreciate more and more as time goes by.  

We have three extra bedrooms, and they will all be filled over the holidays. Now that I am nearly ready,  I confess to looking forward to it.  Last week when it was all ahead of me I was worried that I wouldn't get it all done.  Better today.  Life's joys!

Haven't Lost It Yet, But There's Still Time...

Okay, so what's the date?  Hold the little mouse on the clock on the bottom of the screen and it comes up the 18th.  That should be good, right?  Still time to deal with what is left to do.  I did sit myself down a week ago and make a master schedule of all the holiday prep that needs to get done before the big day, and I assigned the detail jobs to specific days, so I should  be able to get it all in, yes?  Luckily, I had the sense to put things in calendar order, so that I am all ready for my doll club event on Saturday.  After that, there are no guarantees.  Things keep creeping in to steal away my time, and destroy my feeble attempts at organization.  

Guests are coming in from out of town.  Originally, the first of these were to arrive on the 23rd.  Okay.  Good.  Then the Doctor said that he got the week off and would be arriving on the 22nd.  Okay.  Guest room #2.  Unfortunately, the bad one, since it is my sewing room, and when it is needed, it needs to be dug out.  Okay.  Still on schedule.  Then, the Auditor, coming to stay on the night of the 19th.  Just one night, but means the room has to be ready ahead, and then redone for the 23rd.  Okay, still working reasonably on schedule.  Got the wrapping done today, and I think there are no last minute runs to the store for emergency gifts.  The decorating isn't done though.  The tree is up, but the other decorations are not hung by the chimney with care, and  I need to get the boxes and storage bags out of the living room before the late night Friday guests arrive, as well as make some serious progress in the sewing room, since the weekend is taken up with the Doll Club luncheon, and the Grand's  Christmas Pagent.  I thought I was doing well, but unfortunately, it is once again "Crunch Time".  I haven't even gotten around to any planning for food to feed all these people, who will be expecting to eat while they are here, and that includes not only Christmas Day, but Christmas Eve as well--and not just dinners.  We are not running a B&B here, more like an all-inclusive, but there isn't any staff. 

I'm figuring a good night's sleep will clear the cobwebs, and in the morning, I will see my way to a productive day  tomorrow, all will be well by the time it needs to be.  I confess I used to chuckle about the holidays, comparing them to the end of the college semester, when finals were coming and the term paper was due.  The better part about the holidays was that when it was over, whatever didn't get finished was done and gone, unlike the late term paper, which still needed to be completed.  And besides, who doesn't like a good challenge?  Wish me luck--I need it!

Overcoming Inertia

There are fundamental differences between MyTreasure and myself, one being that he loves to listen to music (with the volume of our player set on 11) and he loves to attend concerts.  My preference is Books on Tape (set at a normal volume, or at least loud enough to be heard over the sewing machine) and actually performing in those concerts.  So, when brochures come in the mail hoping to seduce him into purchasing tickets to subscription series of different orchestras and choruses he leaves them on my side of the breakfast table, as if I am actually going to pick them up and look at them.  I used to, but now, for the most part, I just slide them into the circular file.  He reads through them and if he finds something that he knows I will like, he calls it out loud, usually halfway across the house, and if it is juicy enough, I say to get tickets.  The last one we went to was in Riverside Cathedral, in the Lady Chapel, a group performing very old music--a capella for the most part.  It was a great concert.

A couple of months ago he asked me about tickets for a concert on December 14th.  I hate to commit to things at that time of year, because I know it always gets crazy, and there are a million things to be done before Christmas. Yesterday was the day, and I was grumbling about going due to the aforementioned million, and the weather was cold when we went out for church.  Somehow we always end up going to Manhattan in the cold.  The train is cold, the streets are cold, the cement is cold, and there is almost always a howling wind in those street tunnels.  The seating was not assigned, and the doors were opening quite a while ahead of when we were able to arrive, so we were going to have to hope we could attach ourselves to something decent where hopefully we could see the musicians.

So.......the afternoon warmed up, and there was no wind.  We made our train connections by some governance of Providence--the LIRR to the #1 uptown to the S, over to the #6 (the 4/5 local never came), then hop off at 86th and walk back two blocks.  We handed in our tickets, and headed to the left , because most people go to the right, and walked down the side aisle where we snagged two seats on the aisle that had a decent view between the humongous marble columns that can completely block the view of the unfortunates behind them.  Once in the pew, we were able to relax, and look around.  What a setting!  We were once again in St. Ignatius where our son was married a number of years back.  The inside has been completely restored, and it is just glorious.  The program began--wonderful Christmas selections, familiar and unfamiliar, all performed to perfection by the church's various choirs and orchestra.  There were also carols to sing along with, accompanied by the orchestra and the organ, with descants by the choirs, just to top it off.  There were three wonderful ladies behind us who were just enthralled by it all, and made comments to that effect as it went along, and one who enjoyed herself by humming along when she knew the song, and at times, experimenting with melodies that she didn't know but thought she would like to try anyhow.  I went back out into the not-so-chilly evening with a much adjusted attitude, and a lovely holiday glow.  We even saw the tree from the bus going back down 5th Ave.

I confess to having trouble leaving the house.  It is cozy here, and my stuff is here, and there is plenty to do.  I always enjoy it when I get to the concert, but I get stuck inside my head, and would probably never leave home if I wasn't prodded.  What a shame if I didn't go--all the lovely things I would miss.  Thanks, MyTreasure.

The Old Cardboard Box Thing

It was my Dad's contention that kids always had more fun with the box than with the toy that came in it.  I have seen this to be true at special times when the kids just break out and have fun playing with each other--like the wrapping paper fights after the Christmas presents are all opened up, or after the groceries have been unpacked and a stray cardboard box big enough to sit in finds it's way into the living room.  This bunch of "Grands" ( a couple of them live in a 4th floor walkup and have no yard) wait for this special time of year when they can go out into the back yard with Pa (otherwise known as MyTreasure) and rake up a good old pile of leaves, and then have at it.  There is jumping and throwing and laughing--I keep trying to tell them they have to close their mouths so that they don't get full of leaf pieces and twigs, but they just keep laughing, and so do we.  

You can tell they are growing up.  This was the first year that they helped Pa put the leaves into bags when they were done.  Not bad looking weather for the first week in December!  It's all over now though--the leaves are picked up, and the lawnmower has been winterized and stored away.  But the grass is still green, and there is still a flower or two peeking up from the dying garden.  Some of those plants just don't want to give it up.  They are my favorites, since I am such a poor gardener, and I confess to being partial to the flowers that bloom in spite of me.  Now it's onward toward the big "C"!

Whew!

T-day went by in a whirlwind.  I was able to do all the prep on Wednesday, and had most of Thursday morning to finish up the last minute stuff that you can't do ahead.  The guests began dribbling in early, and we got the appetizers out well ahead of the official start time of three o'clock.  We had consumed a lot of crostini and cheese before the last batch of tardy folk came in, so that most of us were more than ready to chow down as soon as the many bowls and platters made it to the table.  Everything was passed,several times, and I really didn't get much of a look at the food after getting things out of the kitchen the first time.  Helping hands were there while I got the dessert served, and all the containers of leftovers went to the basement to the party fridge, carried by somebody--not me.  Then there was pie--four kinds, with whipped cream.  Somehow the bowl of "schlag" was cleaned out before it made it to me, so that my pie was naked, and I confess to being distressed, but that was actually a good thing, what with being on  Weight Watcher's and all.  

Weddings and holidays never only last one day here at Chez --well, we never did pick a name for this 100+ year-old-heap--the best that comes to mind is Big Brown.  Maybe if you translate that into French it would sound classier...Since the company was to continue throughout the weekend, I invited people to come for leftovers.  Friday I toddled down to the basement to pull up the repeat of Thursday's dinner, and lo and behold!  Looking very lonely and a little forlorn  amongst the pretty much empty shelves of the aforementioned party refrigerator were the very slim remnants of Thanksgiving dinner.  I guess the food must have been really good, because there wasn't a whole lot left there.  We had enough for Friday, but the Saturday folks ate take out pizza.  Of course, that suited them just fine, since they are vegetarians.  There certainly weren't any of those veggies left!  Who would have thought that Brussels sprouts could get scarfed up like that!  

So, this year we got the flip side of the the two edged sword.  At least we won't be eating the same old thing for nights on end the way we have in the past.  Tomorrow I will make turkey soup out of the bones, and MyTreasure will have his last turkey sandwich of the season--without dressing--that was gone days ago...