Old Age Day by Day December 19, 2011

I'm taking a break from the blog.  My granddaughter is coming and I've missed her so much.  She's only here a week and I'm going to enjoy her and our daughter all I can.  We have tree finding plans, sugar cookie plans, possible Fairyland, parties to attend, and an overnight getaway.  I can hardly wait until we pick them up at the airport tomorrow.  It's not only kids' heads which get filled with visions of sugarplums!  Hope the whole world relaxes, acts peacefully, appreciates family and friends, and lets the angels of our better selves prevail.

Old Age Day by Day December 17, 2011

I smell of Bon Ami and lysol.  We're cleaning today for the holidays, and it's sheer laziness the rest of the time that makes it such an effort.  Many tasks need doing, and there is a satisfaction in getting them done.  Also, I have no particularly exciting book I'm reading right now.  That is on purpose.  I'm reading a history of France during the Dreyfus Affair.  So the work is not keeping me from a riveting mystery.  I know better than to allow myself any ways out.  Because I always take them.

I am perhaps also too kind to spiders and their webs.  Today is going to be ruthless.  They will having to cease their construction until after the holidays.  Because I do have some pride left, and having guests getting all tangled in cobwebs is quite embarrassing.  I maybe even clean all the windows, though that is a lower priority.  And cleaning the stove - forgetaboutit.  Some tasks are just too gargantuan. 

But like spring cleaning, this work sets my heart soaring, because next come the people, the food, the laughter, the joy.

Old Age Day by Day December 16, 2011

Well the chorus concert is over and I enjoyed it despite myself.  We sang really well, a lot of people came, the food was great, and it's over.  I'm thinking of trying a funny solo a la Danny Kaye.  I'll see what my voice teacher thinks of the idea.  And I have a duet to work up with a fellow tenor.  I want to do "The Book of Love" by Magnetic Fields.  We're going to begin practicing in January.  In the meantime, only three more days until my daughter and granddaughter arrive, and then the tree, the cooking, the party, hopefully lots of laughter and fun.

But now to my voice lesson.  Must keep the old pipes in shape. 

Old Age Day by Day December15, 2011

Today is our son-in-law's birthday.  We left him a singing message on his cell phone.  I'm so old I miss the land lines and ability to actually connect with another human.  Now it's all messages and texts.  I finished wrapping presents yesterday, and tomorrow my younger son and I will tackle grocery shopping for our party.  We're trying to do as much ahead as possible.  It's fun having someone else to plan and help.  Maybe that is going to be almost as much fun as the party itself!

In the meantime I am practicing for our concert tonight and washing and cleaning.  Last night my husband and I watched "Super *" and it was great fun.  Then I continued my reading of "Judgment of Paris" about the Salon de Refuse and the Impressionists.  Some of it I knew, but I am learning about the emperors of France and artists like Messionier.  It's educational, and I'm seeing more the impact of modern artists like Manet, who is one of my all time faves.  A lot of his paintings are still disturbing.  I think it is because he engages us so directly - and the engagement is a kind of conspiracy, even now.

I'm heading off to lunch with a friend.  We'll catch up.  She has a baby granddaughter I want to hear all about!

Old Age Day by Day December 14, 2011

Well, all the decorations are pretty much up except the tree, which we will select when our granddaughter arrives.  It looks good.  I love the smell of the garlands.  And soon there will be the food smells and people in the house.  Our younger daughter helped a bit last night, and she and her boyfriend took home some stuff for decorating.  It's fun to see them get into the spirit.  They are going to have a little tree.  Today, my mission, should I choose to accept it, is to wrap presents.  I believe I have the tools and equipment to complete the task, and hopefully without dangling from a rope.

My foster granddaughter and I took a walk and looked at the shops yesterday.  There were kittens in the pet store, and she took a fancy to an all black one.  We saw a lady choose him and take him home.  That made us happy.  She found some amazing orange birds and we tried talking to the parrots.  No luck.  We read books in the bookstore, and examined the toy store carefully.  She had a S'more bar at the bakery, and we stayed out until dark, then returned and watched the Berenstain Bears until her mom came.  Next week, we're baking cookies!

Old Age Day by Day December 13, 2011

The thirteenth indeed!  My friend called and can't walk the dogs with me because her mom is very ill.  My husband is a grump.  I had a very bad night not sleeping and had a bad dream.  You know how it shakes you up when a dream is disturbing.  I'll be so busy today perhaps there is just no time for a funk, but right now I feel like stoking the fires, and getting myself as worked up as possible.  But, part of my mind knows these are little trifles, and the world has much bigger issues to contend with, and I am so lucky overall that it is ridiculous.  But I don't want to think about my fortunate state, I want to fantasize about my unfortunate state.  Am I absurd?  Absolutely!

I may be partly frazzled because I spent 40 minutes in line at the post office yesterday and then she wouldn't take my package because it was not wrapped well enough.  She relented a bit, gave me scissors and tape and had me work on it.  I eventually turned it in, but I was beaten down by the fray.  I tackled a store for gift bags and garlands, and waited in another line, then finally purchased my stuff and when I got home discovered I had one more garland than I'd paid for.  Did I return, dear reader, I did not.  So on top of everything else I am a criminal.  I hope the stripes are vertical in prison, because horizontal stripes do not suit me.

No wonder I'm in a mess.  The holidays have come home to roost!

Old Age Day by Day December 12, 2011

It's a dark, windy, blustery day.  We are taking our daughter-in-law to the airport, and it sure could be better weather for her flight.  She and our son will have a lovely time in London and Dublin, among family and the general friendliness of Ireland.  The weather - well, probably the weather won't be lovely, but she's prepared.  And we could be in London here today, with the overcast humidity and threatening rain. 

I have to expand my field when someone I love is far away.  It's stretched now to London and Dublin and Cork, but it has encompassed most of the world at times.  It's good exercise, to think of those parts of the planet we normally ignore.  To include them in our blessings, prayers and thoughts.  Yesterday, I thought of Mexico and the earthquake.  We are one planet, one living, breathing being.  I try to remember that fact.