Cape Cod Weather Today: Sucks. It's cold, it's dark and overcast, it's windy, and it's raining. What more could you NOT want out of the weather? The dogs may be out of luck for a walk....
Still busy checking things off the To-Do list... went caroling with my Brownie troop yesterday to a local nursing home, made the first of many gingerbread houses with my daughter, finished the shopping over the weekend for all the cousins and various family members, and have gifts for all the teachers. Still have not taken anyone to talk with Santa directly, but I hear the Big Guy is going to be at the Christmas Fair at the local vet, so thought I'd take the dogs and kids all together to chat with him. The puppy probably has the most to say...
Received the next round of edits from my editor on Monday night - I'd already gone to my oldest son's basketball game, snuck out to take the other two to karate, went back to the game, drove another girl home from karate class, dropped he boys at home and took my daughter back out to her basketball scrimmage in a neighboring town (we were late, but 2 other girls never even showed up, so the coach was thrilled to see us at all) Caroling yesterday was a little less hectic... and more enjoyable. Today I really have to work on those edits... I do want this book to be published in 2009! But I still have a bit more shopping to get done... and stockings to be stuffed....
I'm looking forward to Christmas vacation. My son's school team has no practices scheduled - my daughter's team may have one practice. And my other son's band practice is cancelled as well.
What ever will we do with ourselves???
Write, perhaps?
Cape Cod Weather today: Bright, crisp, and COLD! The thermometer read 19 degrees Fahrenheit this morning when I drove the kids to school... the dogs will have to wait a little longer for their walk because it is just way too chilly out there...
The tree is up, and the myriad Rubbermaid containers are out of the attic (albeit not fully unpacked yet...) I still need to find my collection of antique glass ornaments to hang on the tree, but I promised my daughter I wouldn't do that without her. So I've moved on down the list to find one of the other dozens of things that need doing before Christmas.
When did Christmas decorating and shopping change from highly anticipated and enjoyable to a checklist of chores to rush through?
I remember when I was young (or at least younger) and used to actually like the prospect of Christmas shopping. I didn't have any more money in my wallet then, but I liked to meander the shops (even the mall!) and find the perfect gift for each person on my list. Now it's just one more thing that needs doing in an already busy month.
I want my family's holiday season to be more relaxed, and more magical - but it was an effort to get the kids to even help decorate the tree. Takes too long, I guess, in their world of near-instant gratification. My daughter had fun baking cookies with me for the holiday bake-sale her scout troop held over the weekend, but even then her attention span waned and I was left to decorate the last tray of cookies.
How do you go about slowing the pace and adding more of the magic back into the holidays? This seems especially important and relevant in a year when the economy is so fragile that I don't think many of us can buy our way to happiness... Please feel free to post any and all suggestions - I'm sure I'm not the only one struggling with this issue this year.
Cape Cod Weather today: Cloudy, cold, and sleeting rain... and nothing like Jamaica...
My husband and I just returned from almost two weeks in the Caribbean, on the island of Jamaica. A tropical depression settled over the island halfway through our stay, but did little to dampen our enthusiasm for our vacation away from kids and the responsibilities of everyday life.
Take a vacation. I highly recommend it.
We returned home almost a week ago, and my parents (who had been taking care of the kids while we were away) stayed for Thanksgiving, and both my sisters came for the holiday as well. But even after having a house full of family and my tiny kitchen inundated with holiday craziness, I still have that Jamaican "No Problem" feeling, and am still running on Jamaica time... which means nothing goes according to any schedule and that's okay.
It drove me a little crazy when we first arrived on the island, because even though the resort posts a schedule of events, nothing ever starts when it should. I don't think they understand the concept of "on time," or if they do, it's merely an American thing. It was yet another wake-up call to me that I need to slow down and enjoy each moment as it comes, and not stress over the to do list or the accomplishments list quite as much.
How many wake-up calls does one get in life?
I had one last fall that did much to slow me down, making me realize what was important in my life... One busy Tuesday, I had carefully planned out my schedule in order to get all the important errands done before an important meeting, and was on my way to Staples when the school nurse called. My son had just thrown up all over the hallway, could I come pick him up? I turned the car around and did the time recalculations in my head as I sped back into the middle of town. I would have to leave out one errand, but I could still finish the rest if I hustled.
Bringing my son home, I tripped on the brick front steps and crashed through the plate glass storm door. Blood was everywhere, and my already pale son turned a sickly shade of green. Luckily, my husband had just gotten home. He calmly assessed the situation, helping to pick the last of the glass from my wounds. I'd sliced through my wrist, but managed to avoid any major arteries. He knew this not because he was a doctor, but because the wound was so large and deep he could see them all exposed, and none seemed to be gushing. He waited while I made a few phone calls to arrange care for the other two kids, and then drove me and my sickly son to the emergency room where I got stitched up and my son threw up again. The pain was incredible, and reminded me for weeks that I needed to slow down and keep it simple.
But then the hustle and bustle of the everyday wears down the resolve to take it slow. The speed of life gradually throttles up until you're running full speed once again, saying yes to everyone who asks a favor.
Not so in Jamaica. They always seem to take the time to smile, to say hello and chat with friends and strangers alike. They say "No Problem" when you ask for something, but they fit it into their timetable, not yours. They always stop and take a minute to admire the sunrise, the sunset, the beautiful cloud formations or sparkling blue seas. Every day is different, they say, and should be experienced and enjoyed for its uniqueness. After a few days living at their pace, you have no choice but to slow down your own pace, and readjust your expectations.
And take the time to admire the sunset. Because it really is beautiful, even when it's cloudy.
I hope I can remember this lesson for a long while. Or at least through the coming holiday season. Slow down. Take the time to enjoy each moment as you live it. Appreciate friends and family, and the love they give you. No Problem.
Cape Cod Weather Today: Sunny, slightly breezy, blue skies with wispy white clouds floating by my window view. Not cold, but not as warm as yesterday, which felt like Spring! Good day to rake leaves...
Procrastination is one of the tools in the writer's toolbox.
No, really. It's not merely a way to avoid writing. It's a way to let your thoughts percolate, reforming into more coherent sentences and ideas, reformatting the outline which your story is based upon... as I was raking this mornig, I was trying to work out a plot line for my hero's escape from the evil Prince...
Oh, who am I kidding? Procrastination is the bane of my writing life, albeit a large part of my day. I should be writing right now, working on my latest novel. But I'm blogging instead!
I should have been writing all morning, but instead I had to grocery shop, and rake leaves, and make a few trips to the dump, and do laundry...okay, these are all things that need doing. Maybe those are legitimate procrastination tools.
How about Facebook? Legit networking tool, or evil time-sucker? Hard to say....
Okay. Enough procrastination. Time to go free the hero from the dungeon...
