11/26/2022

Absolutely fab Thanksgiving!

Our meal, made entirely by my

daughter, was so phenomenal

I probably gained ten pounds. 

We got to visit with family and

friends, share some pies and

coffee . . . then somehow, it 

was time to go home.

What is it about coming home

that is sooooo soothing to the

soul? The closer we came, the 

greater the elation . . . we turned 

in and my heart simply rested. 

Can't say I quite liked the whole 

toting in and putting away our 

treasures . . . I just wanted to

crawl into bed and snuggle. Still,

one must always pay the piper.

What I didn't see coming was

the old bod acting up, probably

due to too much partying. Nah,

that's just dressing up the dead 

pig.

In reality, I should confess to

not only eating too much, but

enjoying chili sooooo hot I 

may never be the same again. 

But, ay Dios mío, yummmmm!

Well, as they say, tomorrow is

another day. I'll still be fat, but

I'm counting on sassy!!!

Oh my God, it just occurred to

me, we're going to doing this

all over again at Christmas . . .

damn!

11/25/2022

A most wondrous Thanksgiving

with family and friends . . . yet,

hardly without drawing breath,

end of year holidays await!

Our Jewish peoples will be

honoring Hanukkah for just 

over a week, the 10th - 18th.

My own Mexican family will

enjoy Las Posadas the 16th -

the 24th.

You probably remember that

the first day of Winter, also

known as the Winter Solstice,

begins the 21st. My cup of tea!

The Hopi nation, will celebrate

Soyal the 22nd. I look forward

to learning more about this

holiday.

Our Christians, as ever, will

celebrate Christmas, the 25th;

I can hardly wait to see the

entirety of our neighborhoods 

lit up to the nines! Well I 

remember my father taking us 

on evening drives to see the 

different neighborhood decors . . .

Kwanzaa follows the day after;

our beautiful black families and

friends from the US, Canada and 

the Caribbean will celebrate right

up to and including the new year. 

I so need to learn more about this!

Now, just add in New Year's 

and its previous eve and we're

talking decor, parties, family

gatherings, special foods and,

you've got it . . . we're all

going to go up a size or two

and then start dieting the day

after.

That ole up and down Libra

scales in me just has to laugh

at our eat and be happy antics

followed by diet and be sad!!!

Sooooo dears, let's all eat,

drink and be merry for the

next three weeks and then

we can share different diet

strategies!!!

Happy holidays, and I mean

H O L I D A Y S !!!

11/24/2022 - Thanksgiving

In my 40 plus years of

teaching, I made it a point

of giving a dozen or so

compliments every class.

A hundred a day being

my goal.

Compliments can make

people, kids especially,

feel uncomfortable, so I

would simply say some

thing like, "Cute outfit,"

or "New cut looks good

on you," and walk away.

My scholastic community

was very impoverished

and compliments of any

sort were few and far

between.

Now retired, I don't often

have the right scenario

in which to say something

positive, but every once

in a while . . .

At Safeway yesterday,

gathering the last of our

TG necessities, I saw

a young woman off to

the side. She was quite

striking and dressed in

a manner to obviously

express her personality

I didn't plan it; I didn't

intend it . . . the words

were out of my mouth

before I could help my-

self. "Oh my God, you

are gorgeous, top to

bottom. Wow! Just WOW!"

She turned around and

stared for a moment and

said, "Oh, I just love you.

I've had such a terrible

day and I've been so down.

I'm going to be okay now."

We walked away, each

smiling . . . We had one

more quick stop. There I

saw this old dame, and I

mean old. Her face was

a map of wrinkles, a life

long lived. Her entire

manner of dress was

phenomenal. My first

thought was, "I want to

be her when I grow up!"

I walked over and said,

You look like such an

interesting woman. Just

love the way you put

yourself together. Fab!"

She turned to me, " Thank

God, there are still some

of us around. But know,

I was having a terrible day,

and you've just made mine."

So, I'm not in the classroom

any more and my kids don't

don't need me to brighten

their day. But, there are a lot

of people around us that

need to hear a genuine remark.

I'm going to make a point to

be Ms. Jennings again when-

ever I'm out and about!

Now, there's a thought . . .

11/23/2022

I am ever both intrigued by

and enamored of havens . . .

Creating those (I feel some 

esses coming on!) small,

secret, sacred spaces . . . 

is a joy in its purest form.

One of my favorite havens

is a reading space . . . 

adequate lighting, a comfy

chair, a delicious throw, a 

couple sweet scented candles.

(More of those pesky esses!) 

I can just envision a basket 

or two of books just waiting

to join me.

I have a haven that means a

great deal to me. I sit in a low

rocker in front of my fire; I 

like candles and incense as 

well. I simply quiet my soul 

so I can listen to the universe.

I've a space in my back yard

as well. It's a bit closed in

by a large bush and several

stumps of different sizes. I

have a long table dressed in

stones I've collected over the

years. Candles can be lit in

their hanging holders. This 

is where I love to meditate 

in warmer months.

So love me my havens . . . 

Can't help but wonder if our

comfort in them stems from

those nine months in a cozy

womb?!!

11/22/2022

I am overwhelmed by

the horrific violence

going on in our country.

Wasn't it just Sunday

night that man walked in

to a gay bar in Colorado

Springs and shot up the

place?! Five dead and 17

injured.

We hear so often about

schools being shot up,

it tends to feel common

place.

I've taught high school

and college for 40 plus

years; I remember open

doors and windows, the

freedom to walk the halls

unaccompanied.

And then . . . first a cop

on each outside door.

Little by little, deputies

added to the halls. The

order to lock doors

during class, leave the

windows closed. Not to

forget that fire drills have

been replaced by intruder

drills.

I abhor the way gay kids

are treated. I hate the way

our gays have to pretend,

hide . . . and if they don't,

horrific consequences 

await.

What's to be done?! Do

we turn a blind eye? Sigh

as we read about it in the

papers? Tut, tut when the

subject is broached in

conversation?

We have all the right

questions and no doable,

suitable answers. Having

said that . . . 

At least we can begin by

educating our children 

from a very young age to 

accept other's differences 

and that violence isn't an 

answer.

But truly, where the hell

are we going with all this

escalating violence?

I despair . . .

11/21/2022

Woke up to an all time 

low of 11 degrees. Well, 

day before yesterday, 8 

degrees, but still . . .

So, "I gird up my loins, 

sally forth to conquer,"

(Proverbs 31:17)

determined to take a 

shower even if it killed

me.

Alas, shower water . . .

f r o z e n !!! Living in

a 135 year old cabin

has its issues, make no

mistake. 

One of said issues is the

ever and always winter

time water freezes. I

despair because it's Fall;

we've had three snows

and daily low temps and 

it's not even Winter yet.

Well, my dear old gran

taught me all about spit

baths. Good thing too

as I chose to live in the

1887the year of the

Common Era . . .

Alas, I digress . . . better

put the kettle on. No, not

for tea, but for a good old

fashioned spit bath. 

Thanks a lot gran!!!

11/20/2022

I've been working on my

tax prep every available

hour for the last three days.

Uggggg!!!

All of a sudden, it occurred

to me that this could be a

new test to see if one is

anal, to employ the teenage

term.

And speaking of thoughts

occurring . . . -Just have to

wash the dishes as soon as

they're dirty. -Need to sweep

every time we build a fire.

-Urgent for me to pay the 

bills on the day they arrive.

-Must make the bed upon

rising. 

Still, tax prep mid November

seems a bit rich even to me!

Methinks a total makeover

is in order . . . and here we

are just in time to write

New Year Resolutions. 

There I go again, doing 

things too early . . . to say

naught of sending out my

x-mas cards in October!

I'm reforming; reforming!

Welcome to the new and

improved nonchalant me . . .

Right?!

11/19/2022

Going to take me a snow 

day today, aren't I?!

I wasn't able to take snow

days when I was teaching,

so I have much to make up

for!

So, what do you do with the

gift of a day when it comes.

I suppose half the fun is just

thinking up odd ideas of how

to spend it.

Starting with breakfast in bed

always seems like a good idea.

Mimosas also come to mind;

alas, no OJ in the fridge. Damn,

just leaves the champagne on

its own, right?!

A good movie, preferably a

murder mystery, is a given

as far as I'm concerned. Or,

one of the phenom books in

my queue. But then, my own

philosophy comes to mind . . . 

When in doubt, do both!!!

I just hate it, but the old bod

demands a nap; a waste of

time if you as me. 

Upon awaking, fun foods to

be made and calories to be

wracked up. If its made with

butter, I'll probably love it.

Most likely I'll write a few 

post cards. I've always been

enamored with mail. Too 

bad I don't get much; e-mail

has seen to that.

Still, a fab day awaits and 

I'm all gung-ho . . .

11/18/2022

Yesterday, it snowed all day.

We sat in front of a sweet

fire and simply watched.

Winter is so hard for me due

to SAD. Seems my lover is

always trying to think of fun

ideas to help. So, he came 

up with a wine tasting for us.

What a man; I give thanks!

We had exactly three bottles

of Merlot, a fave of ours. He

poured a small amount of

each in the three glasses he

allotted each of us. We 

proceeded . . .

We looked at the scent first.

They were all similar, and

the scent was quite mild, 

but the Douglass Hill was 

milder than the other two.

Next, we looked at body.

All three were full body,

clung to the wine glasses

to the point they never

even turned into legs. 

Amazing!

Taste, last but not least . . .

finally! This is where the

true difference began. The

Crane Lake was dryer, my

go to!

The Douglass Hill was

sweeter to the palate. Alas,

I'm sooooo not into sweet

wines!

Strangely enough, the

Pine Croft was both fruity

and dry, a combination I

would not have expected.

Then my guy corked up

a couple and put them

back on the wine rack. I

was afraid I wasn't going

to get any, ha! He served

us each a glass of Crane 

Lake and toasted . . . 

not moi, but the Merlots.

If I'm not mistaken, this 

guy is a keeper! 'Tis a 

good thing too, as we've 

been together just shy of 

23 years!

Salud!

11/17/2022

Yesterday, November 16, is

known as The Night of Hekate.

Let's take a look-see . . .

According to Hesiod's Theogony

Hekate was the first goddess to 

appear in literature in the 8th 

century BCE.

This Greek Goddess, known as

a three-way goddess, is thought

to rule the realms of earth, sky

and sea. Add in other threes

and you have past, present and

future as well.

Her time is the Dark Moon and

I can just envision her standing

at my three-way crossroads,

searching the sky for glimpses

of her favored dark moon.

Her symbol is the key, so of

course I've had a great deal

of pleasure seeking out and

collecting old keys that can

be found all over my cabin

and property.

And, as my cabin stands

on a three-way crossroad,

I felt absolutely compelled

to name it after her.

11/16/2022

"One God, many faces.

One family, many races.

One truth, many paths.

One heart, many complexions.

One light, many reflections.

One world, many imperfections.

One.

We are all one,

But many."

~Suzy Kassem

One of the things I absolutely 

adored about my family, was 

the freedom we were all given

to believe and worship as 

appealed to us.

Going back to kingdom come, 

my mother was a Christian, 

my father a Panentheist, and

I'm a Pantheist . . .  my lover 

as well. 

In our children's world . . .

we have Christians, Atheists

Agnostics, Pagans, even one

of Asian beliefs.

So, where do I go from here?

What is my duty, responsibility

towards others who believe

differently from me?!

I truly believe in each person's

right to choose their own path.

I believe it is my duty to accept

and support this. 

I do hope though, that each of

us follow the creed we have

chosen, quite seriously!

Pray, may our paths converge

one day in great unity, love

supporting us all . . .

11/15/2022

"I choose to live by choice, not chance;

To be motivated, not manipulated;

To be useful, not used;

To make changes, not excuses;

To excel, not compete.

I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.

I choose to listen to my inner voice,

not to the random opinion of others."

~Miranda Marrott

When I first read Miranda Marrott's

creed statement, I was beyond wowed!

She reiterates, for me, the person I long

to be when I grow up.

Most of probably don't have a personal

creed. Or, there are words of others

that move us, but they are not our own.

Miranda Marrott inspires me to do some

pretty serious pondering and maybe even

put pen to paper.

Perhaps, the way to go about it might be

to make a couple of lists . . . one would

be what we stand for and the other a list

of nots and nos. I imagine there would

be plenty of pondering and crossing outs.

But in the end, our own personal creed,

in writing, to be a reminder of what we

stand for.

It might take a while, but I'm going to

do this. I invite you to do the same, if

you are so inclined. You might even

post it . . . keep the inspiration going!

11/14/2022

"I'm making a list and checking

it twice . . . " Why for and what 

gives? you may ask. You may

even wonder why in November

rather than in December.

Sometimes I wonder if this whole

list business isn't an age thing! I've

always used them for efficiency 

purposes. But now, I actually

depend on them entirely.

I have grocery lists, errand lists,

gift lists, travel lists . . . and the

list of lists goes on and on.

I only grocery shop 'bout once

a month, eat out once or twice

and Amazon provides the rest.

I find myself perusing my lists,

crossing them off and rewriting

them.

The thing I quite like about this

list business is the feeling of a

pleasant future they bring. I do

recognize this as being more 

of a psychological malady than

anything else, but whatever 

works, right?!

So, if you happen to find your 

name on one of my lists, you'll

either be receiving a present 

from me, a job or running me

an errand.

I'll cross your name off when

you've done the job; count on it!

p.s. Want to know something

crazy?! I just accidentally erased

my entire November lists. I'm

so angry, I could spit!