Friday Roundup

The winter solstice has always been special to me as a barren darkness that gives birth to a verdant future beyond imagination, a time of pain and withdrawal that produces something joyfully inconceivable, like a monarch butterfly masterfully extracting itself from the confines of its cocoon, bursting forth into unexpected glory.

Gary Zukav

Hard to believe, isn't it?  Already the last weekend before Christmas.  And I've much running around to do today.  Have to go to the bank and get hubby's gift. He is definitely the man who has everything, and as you all no, he is a hoarder, so the less I bring into the house, the better.  For years now I have always given him money which he uses to winterize his car.  This year I did also purchase a book for him. The book is called "History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time" by Brad Meltzer.  The author was being interviewed on the morning news, and I just knew I had to get this book for hubby.  He loves conspiracy theories and can ramble on for an hour on the same subject.  I sure hope this book doesn't spur him on.

Aren't these some of the ugliest looking Christmas trees you have ever seen?  They are selling these all over in my neighborhood, especially the one on the end where the leaves fall into circles.  I can't believe people actually buy and use these things.

We had the annual Christmas party at the Center yesterday.  The meal was fantastic, but I know it was far more sodium than I should have had.  We began with orange juice and fruit salad.  Then for the main course we had 2 cheese manicotti,  a meatball, and a tossed salad.  For dessert they gave us some type of cream filled Italian pastry.  What a feast for a dollar, huh?  The party itself was kind of blah, and I left fairly soon after they started with the music and dancing. It was the same music that they play over and over again at every other party.

So, tomorrow is the Winter Solstice/Yule, the shortest day of the year, but it sure as heck doesn't feel like it.  In the low 60's tomorrow and the upper 60's on Sunday.  I've no idea how I am going to celebrate yet.  With everything that is going on, I've not had much time to think about it.  But, I know I will come up with something even if it is to just to cook a special meal, light some candles, and spend some time in quiet reflection. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and a Blessed Yule.

On the first day of winter,
the earth awakens to the cold touch of itself.
Snow knows no other recourse except
this falling, this sudden letting go
over the small gnomed bushes, all the emptying trees.
Snow puts beauty back into the withered and malnourished,
into the death-wish of nature and the deliberate way
winter insists on nothing less than deference.
Waiting all its life, snow says, Let me cover you.

Laura Lush From:   The First Day of Winter.