Archive for the ‘Seasonal’ Category

1. Outside lights put up on coldest Sunday of the winter. Heaven forbid, that we should have done it when the temperature was above freezing. What is the fun in that?

2. Christmas Baking ordered from two woman who know how to bake. I look on it as supporting fellow female entrepreneurs

3. Fresh Turkey ready to be picked up and yes, I’ll cook that myself.

4. Christmas Tree decorated except for the bottom one third, knowing nods from all cat owners

5. Airline ticket for mother-in-law bought. It’s ok, I love my mother-in-law.

6. Christmas gifts purchased on-line. That was a no-brainer, there were two choices; list in hand, sitting at desk with sippers on sipping coffee vs list in hand, overcrowded mall, winter coat, heat exhaustion.

Realization that the spot on the dining room table where my laptop & paperwork sits will have to be replaced by an actual place setting, well I’m working on that.

Well Valentine’s Day has come and gone and the question is did you get something that you really wanted or does your significant other just not get you? I made a list of the things that I really wanted; none of which I received by the way but I did realize two things, that I have expensive tastes and that I am really two people.

The Romantic Me

• Godiva Chocolates
• Leather bound early editions of two of my favorite books
• A beautiful shawl from some exotic land
• Courvoisier XO Cognac
• First class ticket to Italy

The 21^st Century Me

• Apple iPhone
• Gift Certificate for amazon.com
• Taittinger Champagne
• La Pavoni Espresso Machine (for the record this is the only kitchen appliance that will ever be on my gift list)
• Two days in New York with theatre tickets

I suggest that you make your own list it is very therapeutic, you could even give it to your partner for next year, at best you may give them a good laugh.

We have just celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving & I cooked a turkey dinner that would have made Martha quite proud.
On the Friday before, while picking through the brussel sprouts I overheard one woman ask her friend what she was doing for Thanksgiving. The other one shrugged and answered ‘nothing it was just her and the husband’.

I had enjoyed opening a good bottle of wine and preparing the dinner ‘just for me and Chris’. I didn’t need company to enjoy the smells and flavors of the day.
It is the same at Christmas, whether we include family or not; I still find pleasure in having a tree, decorations, festive foods.
The year can be long and there is something to be said for breaking the routine of life to embrace and celebrate an event; the number of people involved is not the point. I also believe that a relationship needs to be renewed with current memories no matter how small.

Besides all that she missed out on days and days of turkey sandwiches.

If you ask me busy December for all it’s rituals and entertaining is nothing in comparison to Spring. A time when even the cleaning challenged are filled with primeval urges. We want to throw open windows and embark on a frenzy of cleaning. Then move on to release the garden from under it’s mantle of brown. We might also experience a need to paint walls, re-arrange funrniture and stain decks.

Then, there are the new work related projects and goals that need to see the light of an April day, bringing with them new paper work to the office that we are trying to organize.

Did I mention that the dogs need grooming & that my hair and wardrobe could do with some attention?

How many days until Christmas?

It is a good thing that my husband doesn’t read my blog because when I woke up on this Valentine morning my thoughts were not about him.
Now before I hear a collective gasp let’s be honest memories just pop up these days. Triggered by a stray sound, smell, colour or even the taste of a certain food or wine.
An old movie on TV last night sent me back in time, to someone I loved and even though I like to share some things on this blog he will not be one of them.
It is sufficient to say that it has the makings of a chapter in a good memoir; it was a different time, a different country and this is why my mind was wondering, was it a different me?
Does the young woman in love grow up and mature or is she still inside us?
Not sure that I have the answer, I do know that on this Valentine Day I just want to remember her.

I am nearly ready for Xmas.

My tree is decorated apart from the bottom branches; those of you with cats will understand.
My Christmas baking is bought, thank goodness for bake sales.
Shopping is done; one part mall and two parts internet.

House is just about clean, I even broke out the real wax furniture polish for some of the antiques; they are still in shock.

My mother-in-law in sharing Xmas with us which is just fine with me. We talk over cups of tea or a glass of wine. I am not sure that she has completely grasped what a Life Coach is but she is suitably proud of me anyway.

Christmas eve I will do what I have done every year since 1975 and that is take a few minutes before going to bed to stand outside in the winter night and wish my parents a Merry Christmas. No matter how old you get you still miss them especially around the holidays.

What do I want for Christmas? The most elusive of gifts, some time to just sit and READ!

I enjoy Christmas and always have.
Past Christmas’ have been celebrated with family & without, spent alone, in the company of friends and in foreign countries.

The formula for a Happy Christmas isn’t complicated.
It’s the music and movies to get you in the mood
Gifts that are about meaning not cost.
Preparing the foods of celebrations past.
Putting the schedule away and just being spontaneous.
Not dwelling on bad memories; making new ones.

I don’t analyse it or try to reach some level of perfection and most of all I don’t try and do it all.

It seems like a few weeks ago when I was writing my spring blog posting about putting in my garden for ‘Maximum impact, minimum effort’ and now I have just finished emptying my clay pots and putting the garden to bed for another winter.
Inspite of my protests that I don’t particularly enjoy gardening, I realize that I am going to miss the time away from my tightly scheduled day.
Early summer mornings would find Jenna (Australian Shepherd) and me watering and tidying our pots and beds and just generally enjoying the peace and each others company. While husband and chocolate lab could be found in the house drinking that first cup of coffee and reading the morning paper.

I recently hired a landscape designer for a consultation. My back yard isn’t big and somehow has to embrace; bird feeding area , dog area, garden tool storage area and oh! yes somewhere for Chris and I to relax and barbecue. We not only discussed space requirements but also my budget and schedule.

The outcome is that next year I will have an even more attractive garden for minimum effort but more importantly I will continue to allow myself time to recharge & renew and fully accept how important time outside is to my mental and physical well being.