+ I had a bit of “sticker shock” when I was on the scale at my doctor’s office the other day. I simply couldn’t believe the number. Blaming the extra pounds on a semi-heavy sweater and my bra, I had to come home and verify my own assurance that the doctor’s office scale just had to be broken. It wasn’t. The holiday treats have all landed in the garbage can.
+ My one son is the king of purchasing really good, thoughtful, practical gifts. (there are times I’ve had to remind him that his fiancee would probably like impractical gifts, too – wink, wink) Having witnessed me and his father struggle many times with our spoons, trying to get the powder lumps out of our daily green smoothie (and then, often not successful, thus choking, unattractively, for what feels like an eternity, on said lumps), he got me a wonderful Sur-la-table whisk/frother for Christmas. (which my husband promptly used before I even tried MY gift – the early bird catches the worm, it seems) Anyway, it is a wonderful gift and it has made a huge difference already, as long as I remember to put the whisk into the drink before turning it on. At least now though, I won’t die from choking on my health drink. (However, I should have gotten a big, fresh sponge for Christmas, too, to clean up my messes until I learn to get it right.)
+ I’m trying to start the year out right and get “seriously more serious” about decluttering. The problem for me is, that I actually like all of my stuff (and at age 55 and being an earnest and regular shopper, I’ve accumulated A LOT of stuff). The whole world-famous Marie Kondo question, “Does this (insert: 18 Vera Bradley tablets, citrine cluster, dog shaped candle, owl bell, gnome figurines, various jars of eye cream, 116 perfume bottles, 52 pairs of sunglasses, 5 pairs of Kelly green and orange shoes, one of thousands of pairs of earrings, 50 collected bird feathers, etc. etc.) spark joy?” Yes. Yes, they all do. They all spark joy. That’s why I bought them in the first place. So, I guess where to store all of my joy is the question. Or perhaps I need to start ranking things by different levels of joy and letting the lower levels of my joy go to Goodwill to spark joy in someone else. Joy is best when it is given away.
+ I was speaking to one of my future daughter-in-laws over the holidays, talking about my dress for her wedding. Her enthusiastic mother, already has purchased her dress and the wedding is in September. My future DIL mentioned that she wants the colors of her wedding to be muted (the bridesmaids are wearing a silvery-grey). She mentioned that her mother’s dress is navy blue. Now, I don’t have my dress for the wedding yet. (See the first point I made today, as to a main reason why I don’t have my dress) And I actually look much better in bright, vibrant colors. So, I was scanning my mind for what “muted color” I could wear and not copy her mother’s navy blue. “Oh, I could wear off-white!” I said with a big smile on my face. Ooops! What?!? Where did I come up with the idea that off-white would be a good color to wear to my son’s wedding? My future DIL’s face said it all. She was looking me like I had two heads. I realized my mistake immediately, laughed and now luckily, it’s just become one of our many family jokes to be repeated ad nauseum, for years and years to come. And of course, I will not be wearing off-white.
In case you haven’t noticed, I am trying to start this year with a good sense of humor. And this is a time in the world, when a good sense of humor is vital. When we can laugh at ourselves, we never cease laughing – there is plenty of material to play with when observing our own absurdities.
Are you passing on love or are you passing on pain? Heal your pain and pass on love.