Yesterday wasn't the best of days for me, but it was far from the worst.
Too much high caloric, tasty food went into my system from Thanksgiving Day through Friday.
Late Friday night my gastrointestinal system, which has chronically rejected a lot of my food choices over the decades said, "Enough!"
The achy stomach and all that goes with faulty internal food consumption combined for a short night in the sleep department.
All tolled, I may have slept three hours, maybe not even that.
Fortunately, the last short segment of uneasy slumber allowed the internal plumbing to settle down. When I awakened, the extreme ache had dissipated, but the tummy still felt a bit fragile.
So, I took it easy and decided it was gonna be a long day, but that I would get through it.
Happily, I did.
That meant driving to town and picking up my online groceries, visiting with the neighbors for a photo shoot, taking a drive through the neighborhood, meeting Ashley and Sarah out walking their horses and snapping a few photos.
I also watched a little football but generally kept moving, always checking the clock to see how close it was to that moment when I could crash into bed.
It was too beautiful a day to slouch around cuz my tummy hurt. Plus, enjoying the beauty helped me forget that I wasn't feeling the best.
Today we have another, maybe even prettier day ahead before moving into a week of what the weather forecasters call dry but gloomy.
We also have December and Advent and Christmas, all taking on a different approach this year. I doubt that I'll be baking like I usually do.
As Bill and I have noted, we just don't run to the store to grab that package of chocolate chips or molasses or marshmallow cream when we're in the midst of a cookie recipe.
Plus, safety and maintaining good health dictates that it's probably best to let that aspect of Christmas go, since my cookie plates go to neighbors and friends.
So, that will be put on hold until next year.
The $64,000 question is what Christmas itself will look like.
Last Christmas Day, along with Willie, Debbie and Annie, we had Laura from Switzerland and a visit from Laura and her kids from Plummer. I think Selena, Swiss Miss aka Laura's friend came too.
The Loves and Laura then got together with my sisters and our friend Maryann and drove to the Kootenai River Casino for dinner.
Swiss Miss even went into the room connected to the restaurant, played the machines and won more than $100.
The one thing we do know about Christmas 2020 is that it will be unlike any we've ever spent before.
We also know that we'll dig deep into our resolve and summon our creativity to do whatever is possible and safe to enjoy this blessed and special time in the most meaningful and memorable way possible.
We'll still show our love to each other, and we'll do our best to maintain that eternal ingredient of life: hope.
And, now a wonderful perspective, which I encourage everyone to read and to pass along to others.
Its message is both universal, poignant and hopeful.
I had heard about this op. ed., written by Pope Francis, and finally saw it this morning on my older brother's Facebook page.
Whenever a piece of writing profoundly resonates with your own thinking and when the writer's vast perspective enhances your own view, it's worth sharing.
There's personal experience, there's thanks and there's a challenge for all of us to consider all packed in to this collection of words and thoughts.
Hope you read it from start to finish and that it resonates with you.
From my artist friend Billy in Ireland, entitled "Off to Market."
Below, from my friend Eileen, who's on Covid lockdown in Dublin, Ireland.
Finally, for some reason this morning, this song from the good ol' days by an Aussie group called the Seekers has been reverberating.
I often like to take the lyrics from song and adapt them to my own thinking.
In this song, for example, there's a message to a loved one. My take: it's our loved ones AND all whom we love as friends, neighbors and even people we've never met who still manage to occupy a place in our hearts.
Somehow, thinking about Pope Francis' words, I can't help but believe that when the journey of this global Pandemic comes to an end, we may have found another, different and better world.
When that happens, let's hope the relationships we cherish and the inner good within us both persevere, in helping transport us there.
So, this goes out to all, unlike anyone we'll ever find in our lives.
Just sayin'. Happy Sunday. Stay healthy.
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