Downloading Christmas

I went shopping on Black Friday and despite it, I am doing  OK.



I am not a shopper, but I do love to buy presents.  I pride myself on listening to my loved one's wants and needs.  I try to pick up on any of their hints and then read all the news on the latest and the greatest gifts of the season.  By October, I usually have some good ideas.  This year though, I have nada, nil, zippo, nothing, not even a clue what to get. 

Everybody seems to be obsessed with their latest phone, tablet or laptop.  Their lives appear to revolve around being connected through social media.  I have watched people at social gatherings who look like they are engaged in a conversation, casually glance at their phones (which they always have not far from their fingertips) every few minutes.  Right now three of my grandchildren are sitting in my family room playing on their hand-held devices with the oldest one multitasking on three.  Games they enjoy to play no longer come in a box but are downloaded.  It seems that so much can be acquired instantaneously and people's needs satisfied with a click of an app.  Santa Claus no longer has to travel all that distance on Christmas Eve, Apple and Amazon have taken his place.  The old guy has been outsourced.

This holiday season will be different.  I have always enjoyed wrapping and giving gifts with beautiful paper and ribbons.  It is a way to tell the people I love how special they are to me.  This year though I am perplexed, because how do you wrap an app?

The Fog Comes On

Getting ready for the holidays, and I am doing OK

As I no longer go to work on a daily basis and time has lost its importance, I have, on occasion, woken up and am not sure what day it is. I look for clues and if hubby is not there, it means he went to work (big smile, big smile!). So now I am down to one of five or one of two and that is good enough for me.

Where, oh where, did that mind go that used to figure out complex programs and mathematical equations. I was that person who managed a small company and a large family and now I cringe when my grandchildren want me to play Angry Birds on their iPod. I used to be that person who jumped out of bed and quickly got her day going at 5:30 AM. Now as I slowly slide off the side of the mattress and onto the floor, my main purpose is to look for my glasses. Finding them within three minutes is sort of like getting a hole in one for me.

Monday, Schmonday, what does it matter now. It has taken me a while but I have learned to embrace a less stressful environment. Unless hubby is around, time is mine to do with what I want. I have a volunteer job that I love, love, love and gives me great satisfaction and joy.  I also now have time to spend with my grandchildren that I did not have before and I am making memories. I have replaced the stress and restraints I had by now doing things I choose. My early enthusiasm about doing chores that I had put off for years has waned. Purging the basement of unnecessary collections has not been accomplished although I do make attempts at it every now and then (the emphasis on "then). I have decided to focus on small victories rather than big burdensome tasks. Best of all, what I have found is that in this phase in life I do less complaining and am grateful for so much more.

So when I woke up this week and saw the thick fog, I did not worry about being out on the road trying to see through the mist. What I noticed was how beautiful it looked. There was silence and sweet peace in the scene.


The Fog
by the wonderful Carl Sandburg


The fog comes





















on little cat feet
























It sits looking
Over harbor and city (and suburbia)





















On silent haunches








































And then moves on




And so have I. 







 

Let There Be Light

"Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself." 
 Desiderius Erasmus

The lights are back on in downtown New York.


"Normal" will not return for a longer time for many who were in the path of Sandy, but meanwhile the media is taking time from their constant annoying political spin to tell the stories of  the selflessness of so many who braved the dangers to help a neighbor, be it a stranger or a friend. 

People from all over have lent a hand in any way they can.  It does the spirit good to know that we truly do live in a wonderful world.  The lights seem to be a little brighter because of the the kindness of the human heart.

And BTW, I am doing OK.

Trying To Keep Up

Dancing as fast as I can, and I am sort of doing OK

Dealing with the torment of Sandy, spending time with my granddaughters ( my pleasure), dealing with my volunteer job, dealing with life, and I have gotten behind.  It has been a difficult week and I am sorry that I could not keep up with everyone, but life interrupted.  I will resume what is normal for me next week.  Maybe!

I am doing my best, just was not prepared for it all. However, we escaped the worst of Sandy and it breaks my heart seeing the the horrors that other people are going through.    It lets you know how small your problems are. They are telling us now that another storm is coming our way.  Not fair, we did not have a chance to breathe.

I have never liked November.