Tag: family

2012: The Year of Everything (at once)

~ JodiLea

2012-header

How many life-changing events did you have this year?
I’ll spare you the “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” sentimental summary of 2012.  I already bitched posted about the details, as they occurred.

  • Preparing home of 24 years to sell
  • Death of my only sibling
  • Retiring from my day job
  • Diagnosed with a “leaky valve“. (What am I – a car?)
  • Moved from a city in the SF Bay Area, to a remote town in the lower Sierra mountains.

If you’re new to Not Pretending, the links above should satisfy any curiosity you may have. And a very hearty welcome from me, BTW  😉

All 5 events occurred between April and July. I don’t remember much of August at all. September-November were a blur. When I began to settle down into my life – the  Holidays showed up. Whee!  The last of our kids left yesterday. Now I need to gear up to “organization level” energy, but a head-cold is sucking it out of me.

It’s snowing every few days now.  This is my fault, as most of you already know. I’ve dreamed of a white Christmas all year, and I definitely got one. I love watching the snow fall.  I can’t imagine anyone getting tired of watching it. I can imagine getting tired of shoveling and driving in it, and I’m happy I don’t have to!

I bought a 20.6 pound turkey and 10 pounds of potatoes (sweet and russet), so we can live on Christmas dinner if we get trapped up here a few days. In fact, it is supposed to snow later today. ..

2013 will arrive in 2.5 days, and soon 2012 will only be memories. It seems like I just said that about 2011. Time really does speed up the older you get.

A happy & prosperous New Year to everyone!

Next Year’s Christmas Present (to myself)

~ JodiLea ~ 2 Comments

XMAS_BAR

While I was creating the traditional Christmas Feast this week, I thought about many things, especially the following three:

Number one: This is a lot of  f*#$@!! work.

Number two: I am tired of doing all this  f*#$@!!  work.

Number three: Why do I keep doing this every  f*#$@!!  year?

The matriarch of the family is stuck with responsible for all that is Christmas. She is expected to feed everyone, on every major holiday. I loved cooking all day and watching my family play games and have fun with each other. I am so over that now.     

This matriarch wants to play, have fun, and relax for a change. Sit in a cushy chair knitting, while listening to the stories her children tell each other about their lives. Take a nap for an hour when the younger set does (i.e., while everything is quiet).

Two of our three children have not invited us over for holiday festivities. Ever. I imagine it never occurred to them to do so, since they have not invited us over – period.  Wait – I take that back.  They did host a family BBQ once in the summer of 2009.  They did a fabulous job too.  I know that they could out-do my Turkey Loco recipe, which, BTW,  uses a grill, where real men cook.

Don’t tell anyone, but I think I’m wearing out. I just can’t do it anymore.  I hate that I’m weaker physically now, and have “chronic conditions” requiring a plethora of prescriptions and doctor appointments. I’m way too young to be this OLD!

So, dear kids…  Consider this your advanced notice: I’m going to take the year 2013 off.

Feel free to use our kitchen/BBQ, but Thanksgiving and Christmas feasting (traditional or not) will have to be coordinated and prepared by anyone but me.

If a feast does not get coordinated, do not expect me, in the eleventh hour, to whip one together.

Just saying.  😉

 !SNOWMAN

Sing Yourself Into the Christmas Spirit

~ JodiLea

!SNOWMAN

Hubby and I had tickets had tickets to see the Columbus Community College Chorus with Orchestra perform on Friday night.  Since we had to go to the big city (Sonora) for the concert, we decided to make a day out of it and finish up Christmas shopping,  have a nice dinner, then relax and enjoy some music.

The Choir performed classic pieces, traditional Christmas carols, and a surprise. They, and their orchestra, were beyond awesome.

After the first set in the program, the conductor, John Carter, turned to face the audience and told us  “Now it’s your turn.” Say What?  As he directed, we sang. The choir members left the stage to take a break during this time. Either that, or we were really awful.

Do all Christmas concerts have sing-a-longs? This was my first, so I had no idea what to expect.  The music was the popular traditional carols, everyone over 5-years old knows, like Deck the Halls, Silent Night, etc. I have not sung with a conductor before. It really helps everyone stay in tempo and we didn’t sound bad. I think.

Hubby sat next to me on my right side. I love when he sings! His sexy baritone voice – well – none of your business – that’s what. Ahem..  The man seated next to me on the left, had a wonderful alto voice that he was very proud of.  He sang so LOUD,  I could not hear myself sing.  I had to be off-key most of the time. There’s always something going on around me.

Despite the little annoyances, we had a fun time, met some nice people, and we got to sing in public with an orchestra and conductor!  My Christmas Spirit got a needed boost.

You may have noticed that this blog is more Christmas-y  now. I changed the lay-out for the holidays. I don’t know about my loyal readers, but I was getting BORED with the scrapbook look.

Who knows what insanity will look like in January…  😉