***Holiday Planning, 2015***

[Nancy]

I was stressing over turkey day. Until we are not in a Norman rockwell painting and have to do a non traditional one here.

Lol! @ the link Harriet shared.

[Harriet]

When stressing over the perfect Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving image, remember, there's a pretty good chance even that one wouldn't be so perfect once all the guests sit down. After all, you know anything can happen!! If any of my darling family stresses me out this turkey day, I'm going to picture them as an unexpected guest just like THIS one!

[blessedw2]

thank u d Harriet-
D Nancy u always have that wonderful spirit in each day that I love - you have such a thankful/grateful heart that makes life good for those u love - ur family is very lucky indeed

I don't think there is a "traditional Norman Rockwell thanksgiving" at least rarely - mine and my family's change over the years - my mom is having thanksgiving w a friend of my uncles in Florida- my d in laws are having forty this year - a dear young friend (lol younger than me lol) is having thanksgiving w his father in law Out of state bc he has to work - while his sweet wife and kids are goi g to his moms - my uncle is alone except for stopping by bc his health is bad - my sweet niece is in another country- but we are going to skype w her - some years there has been many and others so few we get a small bird - for us it's the flip of a coin - it's always a surprise lol

[Nancy]

Got bday card off in the pist for dsis w letter in it.

I need to get out the Christmas cards have one to do. Was stressing about making one then remembered I have some from the store that will work just fine. Tky breast to come out of the freezer tomorrow to thaw for grilling. No invites from kids as of yet sort of w dson on Sunday. It could drive a body nuts if you let it. Talked w h. about rolls insteasd of bread so go rolls so what does he want bread ack ---.

I remembered that cream pies have less carbs than fruit pies so need to get one for the freezer. If we get invited some where it will be one w out nuts or fruit I can have.

I havd been cleaning the basement during this incliment weather it seems to help me relieve stress.

So much to do so little time regreating tbe net flicks time I wasted last week.
I am working Friday.

[blessedw2]

D Nancy I would ask ur dkids - especially they may not realize - do u usually have thanksgiving? This way u know -

I over goaled when Christmas shopping so I have to return one toy

[Nancy]

Got an invite from Dd for Sat. She said dson is not having fam. Over h is grilling the tky breast on turkey Thurs.

[Harmony]

And now we are on to Christmas.

I need someplace to spill this all to. I don't think I have ever not decorated for Christmas. It was fun when there were kids here. 1st XH got into the Christmas mood. I always had lights outside etc. I've been giving things away every year for the past few and have less and less. Last year we put icicle lights across the porch area. And a few over the entry arbor. It was pretty.

This year I got them out again. Untangling and checking ours plus that big box of stuff DH brought home 6 months ago from the house he cleaned out. Decided to just light up the arbor archway with a lot of lights, plus we have the pine cone wreath out.

Up and down the ladder just doing that. I had visions of how I wanted it to be. Asked DH to come twist some twistees together and hand them to me, it was windy. He had other ideas how to wrap stuff over and around, and we did that and added some more... and it isn't pretty it isn't artistic it isn't nice at all. In the process of doing that I ended up throwing more lights away, half the rubbish bin full of old lights, etc. I have 1 bin of old lights left that we didn't use. I can't lift it up on the shelf myself so I think next week that's going out with the rubbish too.

DH made a remark about when we take down the arbor, we'd just do it with wire cutters. Meaning that's the last time for these lights too. I'd be upset if it had turned out pretty but it didn't.

The decorating was even a bit much for me this year. And I feel so sad. I feel like I'm giving up so much, and no matter how hard life was or what was going on I was always able to rally for the holidays. Right now I feel so discouraged I don't even want to put up the tree. Oh well, maybe I'll just go and eat ice cream.

[blessedw2]

(((Our sweet dear harmony))) go have some ice cream and let this day go - it's perfectly normal that we get discouraged when our health and energy overwhelm us. I can't come close to who I was 5 years ago and it is frustrating but I can only do a little each day - it will be okay ❤️❤️❤️

Do ur children live nearby? Dhs d mom hasn't decorated her own tree and house since I've known her
My mom has the merry widows by her and they have a tea and decorate each other's houses - simpler of course - my mom has a fake tree on a table

[Nancy]

Tree is up in the basement.
Hanakaua gift bag is filled.

[Harmony]

Thank you blessed. No, kids are 3 hours away and have never come for Christmas. Once every few years or so they come for Thanksgiving. I had a batch of friends in a couple weeks before Christmas a few years ago. It's usually just us and we usually go away to the kids' places Christmas, so decorating around here is just for us. I used to get such a lift from doing it and seeing it. I wonder what happened to that joy I used to feel.

DH helped me get a couple of the bigger boxes down from the top of the closet. I was able to get the other boxes. We worked together and got that big 7' white tree down from the top of the cabinets in the garage. Sheesh what a job that was! I guess we used that thing 5 or 6 years then it lived in the big green vinyl bag in the garage for about 4 years. We brought it in, I was thinking we'd get the lights going again (pre-lit) and maybe sell it, or perhaps we'd just use the top section for a smaller tree here.

HaHa! Half the lights weren't working, not just the one round at the bottom. And it mellowed to a dusky cream color, not white and sparkley any more! So this big heavy thing that's beyond our ability to use anyway, is now in a heap on the garage floor to go in the garbage. Well that's that.

At least I've got my sense of humor back about the whole thing. I just gotta find other things that make me happy about the holidays... as we can do less and less.