I was feeling some raw, somewhat premature excitement a few minutes ago while walking around the yard.
It wasn't totally dark outside mainly because we have a rather nice looking day ahead.
But we also have just five days before we reach the shortest day of the year AND then they start getting longer.
Happily, our darkness period hasn't been all that bad this year because, so far, we've had a relatively mild winter.
It's almost downhill, Baby, and, in a few days, we can start getting excited about some light, at least with the weather.
So, we'll be counting down this week for the shortest day of the year and then happily looking upward.
With the mild weather, we're seeing more dirt than usual. I drove the dirt roads yesterday to visit my sisters and not only saw less-than-tidy cattle but also much more mud all over the car after arriving home.
So, on Dec. 15, I dragged out a hose that had been stored for winter and WASHED the car.
It wasn't exactly a spit-shine wash but at least I don't have to plan how to get in and out without smearing up my pant leg.
I also put up some more Christmas decorations yesterday, including a homemade swag.
Below is a portion of Willie's stocking, which this NON-seamstress crafted nearly 40 years ago.
I know the date because it was the year after our 1984 house fire when the kids' stockings and everything else they owned perished in the fire.
We don't do a lot of stocking stuffing, but I still put Willie's and Annie's newer models up as a reminder of those days when stockings were very important to the kids.
I read this very brief story early this morning and suspect there will be more to the story as time goes by.
I'm sure it will be interesting, just like the one I wrote for the Idaho Argonaut student newspaper while attending the University of Idaho.
Are you reading John O'?
Be sure to tell Karen that her elevator "excellent" adventure came back to light this morning, thanks to the elevator problem at Schweitzer.
In Karen's case, the elevator was stuck between two floors, and the door could be pried open enough for someone to throw in a deck of cards so the entrapped students inside could have a distraction from their situation.
I always loved the headline: Carter Hall girls get the shaft.
🂺🂾🃘🂦🂮
I heard a lot before Thanksgiving of concerns of how it was going to be at the table after this year's election.
Well, from what I can gather, Thanksgiving must have gone relatively well, at least without violence.
Our Thanksgiving table were all amenable, so we never had any concerns.
Let's hope the spirit of Christmas brings out a little more understanding for family members and friends to get past their differences and back on the road to enjoying and appreciating each other.
With that in mind, I gleaned the following paragraphs from a story I read this morning.
I found it enlightening and worth sharing for some Monday-morning food for thought.
A segment from How Estrangement Has Become an Epidemic in America -- Time Magazine
"Family relationships may be more fraught today because they exist in what sociologist Zygmunt Bauman called “liquid culture,”
a period characterized by rapidly changing norms and values.
"The
traditional bonds and shared values that once unified individuals and
families have eroded, leaving relationships more fragile and
increasingly susceptible to the strains of political and cultural
polarization.
"This
suggests we may need to put in extra effort to take responsibility for
our role in conflicts, show greater empathy for others’ values and
perspectives, and steer clear of the futile pursuit of proving someone
else wrong.
"We
may also have to work harder to stay calm.
Marital researcher John
Gottman has found that when our heart rate exceeds 100 beats per
minute effective communication becomes nearly impossible.
"This physiological state, known as "flooding," triggers the body's
fight-or-flight response, impairing the ability to process information.
If you’re starting to feel agitated in a conversation, change the
subject or take a break. And avoid trying to get even."
💚💛💜💙💓
Happy Monday
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