I have just returned from Christmas shopping – two nights in a row – and I can happily report I am finished with the buying of Secret Santa gifts, white elephants, and stocking stuffers, along with the few books, toys and clothes I picked out for my grandbabies. We are not big Christmas spenders around here. We commit ourselves, as do our kids, to being sensible and consumer-conscious, with an eye to the needed or necessary and a blind-eye to the frivolous. Maybe because Ray and I are purveyors of antiques and spend a good deal of time sorting through other people’s accumulations when we handle estate sales, we are less inclined than most, I think, to buy anything that isn’t beautiful, interesting or useful. As far as clothes go, we both have adopted a standard attire, which doesn’t vary much from day to day, with jeans and button-down shirts as basics, a few camisoles thrown in for me and added sweaters for us both when it’s chilly.
In other words, we are not the Christmas gift-giving party you can’t wait to attend since we lean on the side of the lean, though I am proud of a few of my carefully chosen, though modest stocking stuffers this year that will add a bit of flavor to each person’s life. (Only after gift opening would I clarify what I mean by that.) Still, Christmas is fun and silly and happy with lots of jokes over the various white elephants and much vying for that coveted “best” gift. We’ll see how it goes this year. Personally, I never buy a white elephant that I would not be happy to own since on more than one occasion I have ended up with my own offering. This year, I’ll be happy if this is the case. We will see.
On another note, it is raining here and I can hear the raindrops drumming on the porch roof out front. Such a lovely sound. That sound will surely remain one of my favorites all of my life since I don’t live anywhere that threatens too much rain anytime soon.
I am wrapping up this blog to don my coat with the hood to take the dogs outside for a walk. They are jumping up around me right now in anticipation though I am certain Frankie has no idea how wet it is out there. Cordelia doesn’t care. She is designed for Welsh rains and the cold. She loves the rain.
I hope you are proceeding well with your lives, my friends. I have been out of the loop over the past little while during my busy season of work. I am looking forward to a calmer schedule beginning now, which is a good thing. While I am happy to have had such a busy and productive fall, I can use a more relaxed day-to-day for at least a little while. I actually can turn my attention back to my own writing, which I intend to do with the coming of the New Year. However, again, I am glad for those lovely students I’ve seen frequently over the past four months and I will genuinely miss their smiling faces.
Alas…my dogs are ready for their foray out into the elements.
A good night to you. I’ll be checking back in tomorrow.
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