Well another Christmas (holiday) season has come and gone.  And I am so very glad.  I have not really celebrated the season for many years.  When the girls entered high school they seem to become too busy to help decorate or bake cookies.  And so after we killed the last 15' evergreen at the Tree Farm, I said, "no more."  And so I make some things to give away as gifts and send out my cards with the usual Christmas update letter, generically speaking.

I enjoy getting cards and letters from my friends and family who I do not see.  I think hearing from them once a year and getting an update is important to my well being.  I am not a phone person, having worked answering phones for many, many years, I don't want to be on one any longer.  I do have some folks in my life that I occasionally write the 3 or 4 page letter.  They usually reciprocate and that fills me with something I can't explain.  A good feeling like "I am loved."

One thing I do enjoy about the gift giving thing is that I usually give my girls back some of their "stuff".  Addi sculpted this eagle while in high school and it weighs a ton.  Every time I try to give it back to her she just reaches it back to me and tells me to keep the eagle.  I sent the girls their music boxes that their great grandmother had given them as children.  Jess got her Mickey Mouse back and Addi got HI Lilly.  Addi told me that Lilly gave herself away as she was unwrapping the box. " Hi Lilly, hi Lilly, hi lo."

I started out this holiday season in a very positive manner.  I attended two holiday parties and had a very nice time at both.  I baked some cookies and made some fudge.  (Fanny Mae recipe if you want to make some killer fudge and not worry about it not coming out.)   I even put some lights on the girls' old Flexible Flyer and put it out on the porch.

I even baked an apricot pie, my father-in-law's favorite pie.  It turned out wonderful.

However, my friend and confidante, Garnet, has to undergo chemotherapy and possibly radiation for the third time.  My soul has fallen about 5'3".  I am so worried about her.  She is such a soul and this is just taking its toll on her, me and so many others.  She has been a hermit for so many years and in the past couple of years she has come out of her shell and shared so many adventure with me and our girlfriends.

If I was a prayer, as in a Christian person who prayed, I would be praying every day.  However, not being a Christian, I am a positive thinker.  I just have to get myself to the point of being positive again.  Now that Christmas (holiday season) is over.  (note from author:  I am so sick of this holiday/Christmas/Hanukkah/whatever that black season is.  Let us be friends and celebrate whomever we want to.)  Now that the holiday season has passed I am getting into my New Year's positive attitude.

I have gotten up the last two days and done my yoga.  I am breathing in the positive and breathing out the negative and thinking, "Every day in every way, I'm getting better and better."

I see Garnet on Tuesday or Wednesday after her doctor's appointment and I am positive she will have some good information to share with me.  (And we are having Japanese food.  Another adventure for her and me to share.)