As I fumbled around, trying to find just the right story to bring you today, I kept circling back to the word innocence. With the birth of Christ came the purity of God in the form of man. Jesus was without guile. He came into this world, laid in a lowly manger, and grew to teach us every thing we ever need to know to be a good human. He came to teach us to love. To love as we wish to be loved.

Let’s face it…we don’t live in a Hallmark movie. Relationships are complicated and oftentimes messy. We can turn to any given channel on the TV at this time of year and see beautiful depictions of perfectly decorated houses with perfectly obedient children eagerly awaiting the appearance of the jolly old elf himself. 

Most of my demographic have grandchildren and great grandchildren, so we are a little past the frenetic activity leading up to Christmas. But as the day approaches, we push to create the most perfect holiday so our loved ones have wonderful memories long after we’re gone. The cookies are baked. The house is decorated to the nines. The pantry is full of all manner of delicacies. So…why do we feel so let down when it’s all over?

MY Santa…my very special friend, Greg (Photo Credit: Leslie Coppedge Fore)

This is the tenth Christmas since Mr. Virgo died. So much has happened since that first Christmas without him. I’ve sold my house and gotten rid of 95% of my personal belongings. I’ve lived a nomadic lifestyle in my camper. I’ve moved across the country. I settled on the family farm…the home of my heart. I’ve become closer to Jesus. And…I found love again in the form of a kind and gentle man who makes room in his life for me and all my baggage. 

Ahhhh, the Winter Solstice has come and gone and so has the longest night of the year! Every day forward…from now to June 21st…every day will bring more light and less darkness. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? 

It would be very easy to wish this time of darkness away. To only look forward to brighter, better days. But if we do that, we are cheating ourselves out of an experience. All experiences…good and bad…have a purpose. Good times make us joyful. Bad times make us stronger. And quiet times give us space to meditate. To slow down. To breathe and just…be. ALL times should make us grateful for the experience.

Yesterday was a culinary delight and yet it was simple from start to finish. Every morning, I ask Mr. FixIt what he’d like for breakfast. Yesterday he elected to have French Toast. I make a pretty mean version with heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and my homemade Vanilla Extract. It is light and fluffy and not overly sweet. My vanilla gives it a wonderful depth of flavor. Balance that with sausage patties and sugar free syrup and you have a breakfast as good as any quality restaurant could serve.

I honestly did NOT want to go to town yesterday but I had no choice. I had to go to the bank because I was having an issue with their app and they couldn’t help me over the phone. If it didn’t involve something that needed completed right away, I would have blown it off. But, it was time sensitive so, there ya go…another trip to town.

‘Tis the season of happy holidays. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years…all times for gathering with the people you love. The sharing of meals, gifts, companionship. It’s all so hectic and frenzied and fun…isn’t it? It is…until it isn’t. I remember when I was a new widow. The fun evenings out with others pretty much ended. Invitations dried up. It was especially hurtful when I was left on the outside looking in. 

Little Christmas Stockings

I woke up before the alarm went off. I’m so glad, because I hate an alarm clock. They always wake me with a jar and it doesn’t set the mood for a fun day. I headed out for town and got to the coffee shop in plenty of time to get the tables ready for our gathering of the ‘71 Coffee Divas.

While I really wanted to just sit in my big red chair and knit all day yesterday…it didn’t happen. Those cookies were not going to deliver themselves, so we grabbed everything we needed and headed for town…again! It turned out to not take nearly as long as we thought it would. Our first stop was the Former Mrs. FixIt’s house where we found out she was going to see the rest of the kids that evening for their annual gingerbread house extravaganza. So instead of driving all over town, we asked if she would take the cookies and give them to the kids for us. I didn’t want them to wait till we get to see them over the holidays because the cookies wouldn’t be in their prime.

Ohhhhhh, the things I still have to do! I took stock today of my holiday preparations as I sat in my big comfy chair. The floor around my feet was littered in every direction with gifts, gift bags, and all manner of flotsam and jetsam that needs to be taken care of. The dishes were piled in the sink. Mr. FixIt was kind enough to whip up some oats for breakfast while I decided what was going to get done first.