This is Girl during a recent haircut. She let A curl her hair. I was at the office so A snapped this photo with her camera phone. My Beautiful Baby with Curls!
It's the height of the Silly Season here in Hollywierd; the week before the REAL insanity begins. Everyone is trying to outdo everyone else with the decorating. There are icicles galore and booty-shaking snowmen, moving deer, large globes with air blown "snow" inside, Santa and a million reindeer cavorting on rooftoops. Where Lady and Smuff live there is a "candy cane lane" where all the houses on the cul de sac decorate to the NINES each house with a theme (M&M's, salsa penguins, the Grinch, Disney, etc....) except for one, dark house in the middle. It is a reminder that not all celebrate the Season of Silliness in the same way.
Our family celebrates ALL of the light festivals, specifically the Winter Solstice and Christmas. At least we do in Spirit and are really working to do so in Wallet, too. It's so tough not getting caught up on all the craziness of the most DOMINANT "celebrations" of $MONEY$--Ka-CHING!!!
Everyone is crabby, rushed, stressed, overspent, overworked, overfed, over hung (take that in any way you want) and I wonder.....WHY do we always do this? So far, I haven't found any answer that makes any sense.
My mantra right now is "Gratitude". I got something about it in an email from my good friend Pat and it's been a wonderful, beautiful gift. Like a good shot of caffeine, it's a "feel good" substance, so I try to have a little bit every day. Today it is for the beauty of frost on the clay rooftiles and the smile on Girl's face as she says she's a "Steeler Girl". That is what the real meaning of the season is about--Peace On Earth and doing everything with a Grateful Heart, no matter what book you read or in whichever god/dess you Trust..
Last year we and three other families did an all night vigil on the Longest Night (Winter Solstice for those not familiar with the Ancient Feasts). The kids stayed awake up until they were delirious and passed out. The adults stayed awake all night and were just delirious. Just before dawn, it was time to hike up the hill and greet the Sun. It was fun and special, but I don't think we have it in us this year. We will spend special time with friends and family to remember really, what Winter is about--hibernating, being lazy and preparing for Spring to arrive--after a nice long nap.
But, we still have to get through the Silliness!!! I have been online shopping and everything got screwed up. After one whole day spent on the phone everything is fine now. I should have just STARTED on the phone. It seems that most sites were completely unprepared for the frenzy of the online shopping and out of stock for EVERYTHING. I'm glad that there wasn't THE one BIG HOT Furby-like toy this year. Though, trying to find a child's Easel seems to be a major hassle.
The kids are very excited for the arrival of the BIG RED ONE, and all his treasures. However, I doubt we will get Girl anywhere near him. Speaking of BIG GUYS....What is UP with Howard Stern? That is ALL I have been hearing about today. Is it seriously going to make Headline News if he decides to moonlight as Santa? There are definitely more important things to discuss other than him! Oops! The other "him" isn't talking.
It reminds me of the steriod controversy in MLB. It was the Feds way of saying "LOOK at this SHINY OBJECT over here to make you forget ALL ABOUT what we are (or aren't) DOING OVER THERE".
Okay, I'm babbling and wandering onto dangerous soapboxes. I thought I had all this interesting stuff to say, and actually I do. But, I fear it's only interesting to me. Though, my wee Irish-living bookworm friend and I could kill a few pints in such a discussion. As I sit here in front of the screen, I realize that most of what I have to say is probably a tad too liberal for most of my family, even though they all know that I am a Bleeding Heart, Tree-Hugging, Moon-Worshipping, Freaky Homeschooling Alternative Witchy Liberal Mom.
Let's just leave it at that.
Oh, Happy Christmas!--John Lennon
Holy Guacamole, Beginning Batman (--a great movie! and a subject for another day--
~~Mama
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1 comment:
Melissa, you are the best. You lost me a couple of times in your blog, but that's to be expected from me in these, my days of pre-senility.
Frankly, for us empty-nest old folks, Christmas is about renewal and remembrance. Renewal rears up a shiny face, full of smiles, wonderment and joy when Barb and I think of Nicolas, Shannon, Madison, Colin and Declan, and decorates Barb's and my otherwise routine existence with warmth and love. Of course, that goes for all the Z. families' grown children and loved ones as well.
In this morning's newspaper (Dec. 18th), the comic "Zits" put a face on the otherwise maudlin facade of remembrance. Jeremy's mother "unzipped" him from his teenage body and remembered doing all sorts of things, with much happiness, to the very juvenile Jeremy-boy that came out of the unzipping. In the last frame, Jeremy asks his father why his mother kept sighing as she was looking at him all day.
Barb and I don't sigh, but just enjoy the ride with indescribable warmth when we think of all of our family, especially the Pacific Zs (since we don't see you very often).
Enough of my ramblings - you'll get your taste a little later on in life. With our love, and wishes for Peace and Joy over this season - Mike and Barb.
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