We've not yet set foot inside the park (we turned the opposite direction when I took that picture), and at this writing, I don't really know what our agenda is for the next few days. For sure, it will include a trip to the grocery store...hopefully, the last one before the Christmas madness is over.
Our family gave up exchanging Christmas gifts several years ago. Instead, we plan a weekend get-together for sometime in the new year. We might feel differently about a gift exchange if there were little ones in our family, but there are none. That isn't a complaint. I count my blessings every day that my family is close, and that everyone is healthy and gainfully employed...except for the ones who have retired, of course. After we arrived here yesterday, I put the final plans in place for our 2018 get-together. We will be renting a floating home on the Willamette River for the weekend, and we're keeping our fingers crossed for good weather in June (never a guarantee in Portland).
This week I've received two pieces of bad news about people I care about. I'm also aware of at least one other friend who is coming to terms with a life change that none of us would wish for. It had me waking up a little pensive this morning. My life is good right now. Why am I so lucky? Certainly I've had my share of loss in life, and I suppose that having experienced loss and the grief that follows gives one a special appreciation for the fragility of good fortune. It can make it hard to trust and enjoy those times when dreams are coming true.
Interestingly, when I opened Facebook this morning, I found this meme in the "my memories" section. Facebook likes to show things one has posted on the same day in previous years, and this one came up today from December of 2013.
I'm not sure where I'm headed with this line of thought, but I felt compelled to write it down. You can take it for what it's worth and consider how it applies in your own life. As for me, I'll try not to get too bogged down in worry and rumination and enjoy the season for what it is...trying my best to ignore the madness and commercialization of it...and thanking my lucky stars that all is well for now.
When I work on this again, I'll start with the smaller dress blocks that will encircle the center panel. This one had a whole lot of fancy stitching in it, and I had to teach myself and practice some of the ones with which I was less familiar. The buttonhole stitching was easy enough to do, but each time I started a new section, I had to get the choreography of the stitch figured out all over again...like remembering left from right in my spatially-challenged brain. And don't even get me started on that tiny and tedious chain-stitching.
Of course I could not have accomplished any of this without the help of my four-footed friends. They kept my lap warm on cold mornings and evenings and kept me company during those lunching and napping stops along the road.
Next up, I'll be working on the 8th block for the Wine Country quilt. These are small blocks, and they stitch up pretty quickly.
Before we left Magnolia Springs yesterday, I got Smitty out for one last walk. He really loved the last place.
Since I've accused him of sitting and standing too much on our walks, I took a couple of videos to show you that he actually does get up and walk when he feels comfortable enough. At this place, there were few people, and almost no cars. Once the family reunion broke up across the lake from us, it was quiet again, and he could listen to the critters barking at him as he passed by. In this video, he considered taking the board walk leading to the Beaver Trail. We were comfortable thinking that there were no alligators present, and so we sniffed and started walking. If you can't see the video, then click right here.
I love the way he wags his tail when he's especially comfortable in his surroundings. I had the feeling he would have walked right on down and done the whole loop hike with me, but there wasn't enough time for that. Instead, I turned him around and headed him off in the opposite direction. If you can't see the next video, then click right here.
We'll never be dog people because we're too much in love with cats, but it's still fun when he'll walk along like a dog. He could have spent the rest of his life here, but check-out time loomed. When I picked him up to take him back to the RV, he arched his back and stiffened like a toddler ready to throw a tantrum. Since we've arrived at his new place, he's been noticeably pissy. There are places to walk here too, but it lacks the quiet of the previous place.
Okay, so that's all I have for you today. We're expecting rain, and so this might be our day to do grocery shopping. We're just this side of the state line with Florida, and we're thinking we might head south for our shopping needs. That could mean yet another new state for the side of the RV. With the addition of Florida, we will have covered all of the Atlantic coast states.
6 comments:
I appreciated your reflection paragraph in today's post. It's so easy this time of year to get caught up in the madness that is the holiday season. It's hard to have friends going through hard times, especially when you feel life is going pretty well for you. Things ebb and flow don't they? How do you know you are happy if you've never been sad? How do you things are good, if they've never been bad? Good sentiments to remember this holiday season when we are with friends and families. Thanks for the reminder.
This is a very hard time of the year for me and why I like to stay at home with quiet - no stress, no drama. Loved the videos of Smitty walking with you. I could never get a harness/leash on my wild childs, but they do like to walk beside me when I do my walk abouts.
I love that Smitty walks with you. I had a black cat, Mulder, who would walk the neighborhood with us without a leash. He would hide in bushes and investigate things but always ended up either in front of or behind us. Thanks also for your ruminations. I don't exactly hate Christmas, because I have grandbabies, but every year I lose more and more of my Christmas spirit. Hoping to find it sometime before I die but there's no guarantees. In the meantime I am thankful to know that I'm not the only one with a bluish Christmas.
I enjoyed seeing Smitty on his walk. He's so regal, isn't he?
But I always thought cats wagged their tails when they were upset--the opposite of dogs. Perhaps this is Smitty's particular thing.
I know what you mean about good times and then the thought of doom. You had planned your trip so long even I worried that fate would interfere. I was relieved when you finally departed--I felt once you were on the road, all would be well. Funny, isn't it. That we worry when things look good--human nature.
But life can be short--and you are both certainly getting the most out of it, as many of us try to do.
Smitty, you are one lucky kitty to get to walk in that pretty park!
Thanks for the videos of Smitty walking in the park. He is such a fine fellow! I probably told you already, but I did try the harness/walking thing with zzyzx, but she just flattened out on the ground - or flew around at the end of the leash in circles!
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