Holiday Time

Last weekend I decided to make a rush trip to see my sister Maryanne and Bob.  Being a snow driving chicken, I checked with the weather predictions and it looked nice and dry.  So I headed out Friday, December 2nd.  It was a lovely drive; just what I enjoy most,  with cloudy skies and dry roads.  I sang my way to the Berrett home.  We only had about a day and a half before I had to drive back home.  It was short but fun.  Bob loves Christmas lights so their home is wonderfully lit each night.  He invested in some amazing lights that surround the top of the house.  They project color combinations that are controlled with his phone app.  It's a pretty eye-popping sight to see them.  Combined with the snow that rests around their home in the mountains, it is so lovely.

Bob's lights.

The drive home held more cloudy skies, but also some stretches of icy, slick roads.  It was a white knuckle experience for me.  With a prayer in my heart and hands clinched on the wheel I stressed along until, finally, I hit dry roads.  I was so thankful to reach home and Layne's welcoming embrace.

The rushed trip was necessary because we spent most of the week singing with our Treble Clef singing group.  It is exhausting but uplifting.  Both Layne and I have bonded with our little group, so friendship, singing and associating with the people we sing for carries us through our performance days with happy hearts.  But I"d so like to sit in front of the fire and just veg for awhile.  Life seems to be filled with extremes; overwhelming amounts of experiences or a dearth of them.  I long for balance.  We will soon be finished with our gigs, and then I'll miss it.

Layne and me, singing our introduction to "Winter Wonderland".

Me and buddy, Carol Wintersteen, in our singing garb.

It has been snowing here.  Our world is full of white and it is lovely.  Except for walking and driving in it.  Layne has been giving me snow driving lessons and I think I'm making some progress at not being scared to drive in it.  Looks like I'll get plenty of practice as more snow is coming.  Our local skiing resort opens this weekend.  Winter is really here.  It is especially nice to sit in front of the fire and view the white world beyond through the Christmas tree branches.  Such pleasure!

Our backyard scene of the first snow.

Here's my view of the snow through our Christmas tree branches.

I've been reading a good book on addiction, He Restoreth My Soul.  One of the ideas presented in it involves the steps our minds go through when we are tempted to do something we feel we should not do.  It has helped me to catch myself before the temptation becomes irresistible.  Mind control is valuable but definitely takes practice.  I'm working on it.  I had two pieces of berry pie last night after dinner.  Does that give you an idea of how successful I am at mind control so far?  

Pre and Post Thanksgiving

I don't feel inclined to write much when there isn't much happening.  So there have been a few weeks of normal, everyday events that don't seem worth mentioning.  Our days are cooling down and the yard is going to sleep.  I have been getting things organized for the holidays.  This year, for the first time since we moved to Idaho, I have felt like decorating.  So I filled the house first with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and now Christmas.  When our days are so dark outside, I like to light up the inside.  So the house is full of lights, timed to turn on in the dark of morning and the early blackness of night.  Their sparkle adds to the joys of this holiday time.

The kitties huddle in their snug beds most days now.  How would it be to spend your days just eating and sleeping?  Sometimes that seems pretty attractive!

Holidays are hard to celebrate without family.  My great regret in being here is missing having family close by.  But this year we will manage to celebrate the winter's special occasions with some of our children.  We drove to Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with Jessica and Chris and their kids.  It was a pleasant drive there and back in spite of threatened snow storms.  They simply didn't show up when we were on the road.  I count that a blessing.  Spending time with the Gendreaus is always pleasant.  It is nice to be able to say that I like them all as well as love them. I spent Wednesday painting their living room.  It went from green to gold under my hand.  Not easily though.  The first coat, in spite of guarantees, didn't cover well.  So we bought more paint and I added a second coat.  It took the whole day!  But the result was quite a change.  I think I like it.  And I think they do also. It seems to add a bit of warmth to the cloudy days that frequent Seattle.

What do you think of the new color?

We spent Thanksgiving day with Chris' parents.  They hosted a lovely meal for us and most of the rest of their family.  I really like all of them.  They were very welcoming and served a delicious dinner.  My only complaint is that there was no thanks given; no sharing of gratitude or prayer of thanksgiving.  I missed it.  But visiting with the family was rewarding and fun.

You can see Peyton clearly here, playing a game with the Gendreau cousins.

What a privilege and blessing it is to have family.  I'm grateful for that, and for the good feeling between us.  Here's a self-portrait drawn by Gemma.  Her artistic talents continue to grow.  I love her imaginative touch.  This picture hangs in Jessica's bookstore.

We were back home by Friday afternoon.  It is always good to be home, surrounded by familiar things and arrangements that suit us so perfectly.  Now we are in the midst of our Treble Clef singing concerts.  For the first time since I've joined the group, I have been perfectly at ease.  We are into our third year with them now.  Layne and I are singing a brief duet this time.  it is not a worry!  That is saying something, as singing in front of people makes me nervous almost always.  But not with this group.  Perhaps it is because our audiences are seniors in care centers.  They appreciate us no matter what we do.  It is a perfect situation for learning how to sing without fear.  Perhaps it is because we are all amateurs who just do our imperfect best.  In spite of that, I'm told we make a pretty good sound.  But I'm still scared to sing in Church, except in big groups!

Here's Layne, practicing a Christmas song with friend, Stan Beck.

One of our early performances:

We've got two more weeks to go!