The spirit moved me…

December 26, 2020 by 6 Comments

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Holiday spirit.  Two words that, for many, have been difficult to muster up this year.  Especially for me, someone who usually cannot wait for the first Christmas music to start playing on the radio along with the sappy and fun holiday movies that pop up on television. Oh yes, besides being a Hallmark movie junkie. I scour the zillion channels on FIOS for White Christmas, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol.  In fact, this year, I spent time on Christmas Day watching both Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman…just for snowflakes and giggles.  Both brought back memories of watching the shows when my own children were small.  That was a yearly tradition, along with never missing the lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center.  Such simple things that made the holiday spirit come alive.

This year was so different.  Too many things became almost a chore, a tiring ritual with a lack of excitement involved as the preparations began.  Let’s face it, with the virus undercurrent flowing everywhere, so much of what we’ve all taken for granted was compromised.   No rushing into shopping malls for gifts, ordering instead from online sources and then hoping, wishing and praying with each tracking number received, that items would arrive in time for Christmas.  No large family, or other, gatherings to celebrate the season, opting for Zoom or other apps for human connections.

Still, underneath it all, some element of seasonal spirit managed to remain, mainly with the happy memories of holidays past and the hope that there would be more in the years ahead.  Somehow, these very thoughts kept dancing in my head as I made every effort to dive into my usual seasonal frenzy.

Our annual Christmas tree trek.  With the grandkids, of course.  (I blame them for choosing the 10’ tree that takes over the living room.)

Decorating the house, inside and out.  Bows and lights everywhere.  (The electric provider loves me during the holidays.)

The traditional Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner.  Crab, Lobster, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Scallops, Bacalao, Anchovies.  (I know that’s 8 fishes.  I cook outside the box.)

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa (which I end up consuming while I’m wrapping presents).

Misplacing Baby Jesus for his birthday debut in the Manger (finally locating Him at 3 on Christmas morning).

Tracking Santa’s flight on Norad. (Yes, I still do that.  Don’t judge.)

And…one of the best of all, reading The Night Before Christmas to my grandchildren on Christmas Eve.  No matter how old they get, or how old I get (and can still hold the book up without assistance) this will be a precious family tradition. 

My hope is that they all carry it on, long after I’m gone (or I will come back to haunt them, like Marley’s ghost!).

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop…List the top 7 things that fill you with the holiday spirit.

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Routine reflections…

December 2, 2020 by 2 Comments

 

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Almost nine months ago, who would have thought that our daily way of life would become impacted by a “bug” calling itself COVID-19?  Here we are now, all these days and weeks later, having made our way through this pandemic with our mental health mostly intact.  Mostly, and, in itself, a bit of an achievement.

I’ve personally done my share of bitching and moaning over wearing a mask and being able to function without anxiety.  And, there are the little things, like spur-of-the-moment gatherings, being able to spend time with distant family and close friends, a summer without week-end barbecues and going into local markets without fear of the virus jumping out at me from a shopping cart or items on any given aisle in the joint.

Lock-downs recently began lifting and there was a cautious excitement as local towns and cities started to reopen.  People began feeling a sense of hope that life would return to some element of “normal”.  Sadly, a false sense of security as this damn virus has caught its second wind and infection numbers are rising once again.

Underneath it all, this pandemic has changed all of us.  We’ve learned, through bouts of quarantine, that some things worth keeping, like the opportunity to reflect on our lives and make changes.  And, maybe, there are things, pre-pandemic, that some of us don’t wish to resume.  Old habits and consuming lifestyles that this virus has forced us to modify or stop completely. 

The options, for many, don’t exist.  The loss of loved ones, of jobs that may never again be available.  So many stay at home now and wonder just what all their work productivity was for and if many of us wish to return to the proverbial rat-race.  Any given success came with a hefty price tag that affected both mental and physical well-being.

My routine has brought a lot less focus on consumerism.  Shopping just for basic needs has brought a new level of instant gratification.  I’ve learned that these new habits are keepers, even when this virus releases its choke hold on our world.

And, with the isolation that COVID-19 has mandated for so many, we’ve learned to tell people, family and friends, how we feel about them.  We’ve taken time to make sure we let those we care about know how we love and appreciate them, especially since we have more time to keep the lines of communication open.

We will all come out of this, and our new routines will focus on small acts of support and kindness, an appreciation for small businesses and, overall, concerted efforts in sharing more compassion and empathy.

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop…Write about how your routine has changed since Covid.

 

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Getting “stoned”…

November 11, 2020 by 10 Comments

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For the record, I am not a person who enjoys dealing with things medical and, no, this post isn’t about illegal drugs. 

Calm yourselves.

I know others who live to schedule doctor visits and then proceed to share every bit of information involved when you make the mistake of asking “what’s new?”   Look, mine is a gentle criticism so please don’t judge.  Certainly, when someone is dealing with a medical issue, by all means, seek help, don’t ignore it.  I…am one of those people who tends to ignore things, always doing a work-around, hoping to avoid any doctor appointments. 

Sometimes…that backfires!

Kidney Stones rumbled their way into my life a few years ago but I’ve been fortunate in never suffering with excruciating pain from the gnarly little buggers.  In my situation, that…has been the major problem as severe kidney infection usually sets in and a Lithotripsy procedure takes place.  Over one year ago, a Urologist advised that I could “easily live with an impacted kidney stone” and I proceeded to do just that.  Until a few weeks ago.  Enter another infection, brief hospitalization and a stone-removal procedure at the capable hands of a new Urologist.  I’ve been fortunate with this practitioner in that he immediately stepped-in and felt that no one could, or should, “easily live” with this, now crucial, situation.

I’m scheduled to share my sarcasm and wit with the OR staff again, next week. 

In the meantime, it’s been a flurry of running here, running there, for pre-op testing, blood work, COVID testing, etc.  My medical dance card is full but, with all of this comes additional suggestions from our regular doctor for getting additional “body work” done. 

Nope.  Ain’t happening!

I will adamantly, intentionally, ignore above suggestions, especially at this stage of my life.  I’m well aware that having more than ample medical coverage is something that the medical field finds…enticing.  Armed with whatever your insurance will cover, they want patients to run a long list of testing for everything from head to toe while suggesting a prescriptive protocol which, all combined, will have both short, and long term, debilitating side-effects.

Chalk it all up to my not wishing to be a lab rat.  No one should be when they reach these damn “golden years” and end up being robbed of whatever precious time they have left.  No one should live in fear because of medical opinions that spin around like a marker on a roulette wheel.  No patient should be left praying that a suggested diagnosis is correct and then have to run a medical gauntlet for second, or third, opinions.

I’m in the driver’s seat of my life and procrastinate, I will!

 

workshop-button-1From Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop...Tell us about something you’re procrastinating on.

 

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