Sick for Christmas

Celebration is a kind of food we all need in our lives, and each
individual brings a special recipe or offering, so that together
we will make a great feast.  Celebration is a human need that
we must not, and can not, deny.  It is richer and fuller when
many work and then celebrate together.

Corita Kent and Jan Steward

I just had that feeling it was going to happen.  My office mate had been sick all last weekend and came to work on Monday sneezing, sniffing, and coughing all over the place.  I told her she should have stayed home.  After all, we have to share and office, and it's not fair to me.  Her response was, "I wanted to stay home, but I am so behind in my work so they told me I had to have some charts put together before I go on vacation.  Well, whose fault was that?  Perhaps if you hadn't spent all your time playing video games and incessantly text messaging and talking on the phone, you wouldn't be behind.  And now, because of her fooling around rather than doing her work, I spent a miserable Christmas Eve and Day with a sore throat and coughing.  I tried to get into the spirit; I really did, but I felt so darned awful that I just couldn't throw my whole self into the festivities....

...Needless to say, everyone had plenty to eat and laughs were had by all. I had a tray of cold cuts and cheeses which had been beautifully put together...and saved me a lot of work.  All kinds of cakes and cookies were had by all, and of course, the Yule Log at midnight.    My youngest bought me a camera.  Yes, I finally have a camera...and just in time because they are forecasting a blizzard for the area today into Monday.  The way I am feeling, that is definitely going to be an extra day off.  My older son gave me a Kindle.  I truly am a  "real' book lover, but, I have to be honest, the books have taken over the house.  This enables me to download 3,500 books.  Yes, can you imagine?  3,500 books in one little piece of technology...and they say you can highlight and mark just as if it were a 'real' book; that is, if you can get it working because we've yet to accomplish that....

...and, as I speak, Mother Nature is gifting us with a blanket of white as we find ourselves heading into the first major snowstorm of the season.  They say we may be getting up to 18 inches of snow...not enough to shut the city down, but certainly enough to shut ME down...

...And, with that, it is hard to believe it is over, isn't it?  Christmas came and went in a flash.  Each year it seems to pass by even quicker.

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift
for those who fear, too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice; but for
those who love, time is eternity.

Henry Van Dyke

The eternity of time we felt in our youth has fallen by the wayside, and the desire to slow things up has taken its place.  Time continues to flow...faster and faster...and we must snatch and enjoy every moment of it...for each second that passes is a gift. 

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed
slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.

Bill Morgan Jr.