The Quiet Time Between Celebrations

The new bird feeder

We are in between family celebrations for Christmas. We celebrated with Joe's kids yesterday and will wait until next weekend to celebrate with mine. There is no easy way to do it with today's changing families. Your family, my family, our family, in-laws, out-laws. This can really get complicated, but I think that we worked it out rather well.

I am taking this period in between to remove some of the clutter from the house and my mind. It is going to be a relaxed time, with doing only what is necessary. My mind needs to clear and start to think about the new year ahead. There will be reading,(I have a stack of magazines and books from the library to read) starting a new knitting project, making my workspace nicer, and any number of things. Our meals will be ones that cook for hours, so that the house smells wonderful. No baking, however. I didn't bake any Christmas cookies this year. The first time in more than 50 yrs. We usually have so many that we end up feeding the birds or tossing them. Right now, I'm hungry for fruits and vegetables.... After all the heavy meals...a nice light one will be welcome. After New Year's, I am going to make some soups for the freezer. I have depleted my stock of ready to eat meals in the freezer. Each day, that found me busy...I would pull out a meal from the freezer. Joe would say, "Where did this come from?" I saved leftover turkey and dressing for the last meal before Christmas.

My new camera has been getting some use. I will have to learn to put them on the computer, before I can show any Christmas pictures. The little ones enjoyed the sock monkeys. They both love bright colors and they cooed and giggled at the monkey's when their Mom's and Dad's played with them. I have noticed that everyone who talks to a baby gets a very high tiny little voice when they speak. I think that we all do this. Babies seem to just love it. The giggle and try to move their little mouths as if to speak and get so excited with their little feet and arms moving.

Today is bright and shiny outside. I hear that we will get rain soon. Flooding will happen with all the snow.I feel badly for the people living on the river if it floods this year.

We have a new bird feeder. A replica of an old red lantern to fill with seed. The birds are very wary of this new fangled thing. They are looking from afar. I wonder why companies make bird feeders the color red? The only bird that I know of, who likes red is the hummingbird. It will hang out there until they get used to it. Maybe if it gets cold enough they will come to it and enjoy some seed.

We were at Mass twice during Christmas. Christmas Eve was so special with the music and our singing priest. Yesterday was just a normal Mass with Father Nnaso back. Many nice comments on how pretty everything looked on the Altar. It is pretty, but I do wish that we could use red poinsettias once again. I realize that the white ones are a little more formal, but Christmas should be joyful and full of color, to me..at least.

I have an oven meal going right now, and Joe is napping. I have been working around the house and cleaned Tweety's cage.Speaking of Tweety...a phone call to say that Santa Bird was seen on our roof and a package was on the porch. (hope I'm not repeating myself) It was a package for Tweety. We hurriedly opened it and found an assortment of bells on colorful ribbons. Tweety was scared of the ribbons and shredded them...so the bells are hanging by common string. She loves her gift from a special neighbor.

Balisha