Housewife, 54

All right,  I am finally getting ready for Christmas.  I have made my gift list, checked it twice and I believe that I have finally ordered all of my gifts.  Some are already purchased and wrapped.  I went out yesterday (by myself)  and cut a tree, so I can FINALLY have a good, FRESH tree this year!  Today I brought it in and have it decorated.  I did not do a lot of decorating.... I have three boxes of decorations and I believe that I need to weed through them again and purge... but really what I have are mostly keepsakes and very little that  is expendable.  I have sorted through quite a lot over the last few years, and even though I have things that I don't put out, I am not ready to part with anything that is here... with the exception of some faded ribbons.  So here is the tree: For the past few years, since we have lived in McHenry, I have opted for a small tree that will sit on a table. This is the largest one so f...

Christmas is....how could I put it???  Exhausting.  Garish. Expensive.   and Definitely OFF COURSE!  Why have we allowed commercialism to ruin this holiday?... no, make that Holy Day.  I am so sick of all the advertising and pressure to buy Buy BUY and have Have HAVE and party Party PARTY!  I wish I could find a place to go for the month of December where you are not inundated with all this crap that has infiltrated our Christian celebration of the Birth of Christ. Now, don't get me wrong or mistake my religious fervor.  I am not an Evangelical or fundamental style of Christian.  I practice my faith and a quiet way; I participate in my Church and am active in several of the Church's ministries.  But I am not preachy or evangelistic.... that turns many people away.  If anything I am TOO low-key.  But with all the bright flashing lights and outrageous gifts and holiday parties that are certainly NOT about...

Good Heavens! I cannot believe how long it has been since I posted last.  Needless to say, I have been quite busy.  In a nutshell, we have worked on emptying my mother-in-law's house as it has sold... I have run Elvis in his first 4 Agility Trials (two weekends in October) with NO success... I also developed an abscess that eventually dictated the removal of first one, then two weeks later a second tooth - OUCH! All at the same time, my father had some health issues and I have had to travel down to visit or stay with him twice during that same time period, and then we were at Thanksgiving!  It was all I could do to keep body and soul together - and keep the home fires burning! At a tangent to Elvis' poor showing in Agility, I had entered him and Buckaroo in Rally trials in November.  Much better!  Both of the boys earned a title over just 3 trials in 2 weekends.  I was quite pleased.  Elvis is now, officially, Utchati Jailhouse Rock, RA, JC and Buc...