Thursday with Simon

I love to play with my grandkids. They are not only cute as buttons (which I think must mean small and useful and colorful, and perfect--not plastic and pierced with holes), but they are brilliant and delightful and like to play with me. Thursday I went to play with Simon while his parents attended the temple. We had a grand time. One game was called "Uh-Oh." I put Simon's toy car on the plastic bucket and Simon would knock it off. I'd say, "Uh-Oh!" and Simon laughed. Great game. I've tried twice to post the video of this here, but kept getting errors. So you'll have to enjoy the story without the visuals. Sorry.

A Question of Color

I wonder what makes us prefer certain colors over others? It isn't the influence of our mothers; I have always liked different colors than my mother's favorites. In fact, when I was finally old enough to verbalize my preferences, she was rather shaken to discover that her taste and mine didn't mesh--and I'd not been comfortable with the yellow check, the pink and yellow print and similar choices she'd painstakingly sewed into my dresses. And it's not based on what looks good on you. My husband consistently likes to wear khaki browns, warm reds etc. even though he looks better in blues and burgundy. And his favorite color isn't necessarily what he wears, anyhow. However, judging by Emily, one's favorite color is worn by one's favorite Disney princess. What if you don't have a favorite Disney princess? What if you don't like Disney? And it's not the colors you grow up with--my own home being warm with golds and olive green; though I loved the aqua kitchen much better than the bright yellow one. (Mom decorated my bedroom in bright yellow once...I wonder if that's why I had such trouble with nightmares?) Anyhow, I read somewhere that psycologically, the calmingest color is hot pink. But I don't know if that's the way you choose favorites... Any thoughts?

Wake up and Smell the, um Hoofprints...

I've been working on my manuscript "Lessons with Annie." Sometimes I don't realize I know something until I start talking or writing about it. As I've been remembering walking with Annie, I've recognized some interesting things. When Annie got her daily long walk out on the mountain, she'd stop to sniff and enjoy the details. She chased bunnies and romped with antelope. She would be content and well-behaved the rest of the day. If this walk was eliminated from her life for too many days, she got restless, mischievous and started to chew up her leg.
Even when she was old and arthritic, she forced herself to get up (painfully) and took her shorter walk around the block. Still she sniffed things and got great pleasure from it. But as she made her way, she loosened up enough that by the home stretch she was walking better, faster and easier. Sometimes she felt so much better that she'd come home and dig a hole.
The applications are pretty obvious. Something to think about...

Happiness is...

I've been thinking about things since Grandpa's stroke, and what makes us tick in this life. I've decided that the major tool for building happiness is gratitude, and the components for the project are the members of our families.

It is the support of family members that has made our challenge with Grandpa not only tolerable, but possible. Even though Christmas was different from the usual holiday fun, food and fluster, it had greater meaning in the function of people serving each other, meeting needs in kindness.
For example:
Thanks to Shannon who volunteered quickly for dog-sitting, cleaning houses and listening.
Thanks to Eric for quietly answering Grandma Phillis's calls of distress with wisdom, patience and expertise. And with Danyael, hosted a great party with ALL that requires.
Thanks to Jeff and Lyssa for identifying a need and leading out in a plan. Not to mention the sacrifice Lyssa makes to attend activities on almost no sleep.
Thanks to Jacob and Ami who shifted parties and made fun out of frustration.
Thanks to Tim and Stephanie who "keep in touch" with sympathy and attentions beyond duty.
Thanks to Carol who will come, see and solve problems with grace and finesse.
Thanks to Steven who makes romance out of misery and compensates for all my flaws and weaknesses.
And thanks to the children who make magic happen at Christmas, no matter what else is going on.
It's good.

Christmas Thought

T'is the week before Christmas and the calendar's full
Of programs and parties and other stuff "yule."
I've wrapped all the presents,
I've mailed all the cards,
I've scoured the house and shoveled the yard.
Still, I wonder if I've done all that I should
To prepare for The Day of Giving and Good.
Have I also remembered the lonely and sad?
Have I helped out the homeless and made them feel glad?
Did I offer a smile to the harried and stressed?
Or share someone's burden? Or cheer the depressed?
I hope that my Christmas will also fill
With grateful expressions of kindly good will,
And each song that I sing will be echoed abroad
Because I remembered to celebrate God.
May this glorious week be merry and bright
With a heart and a home filled with Heavenly light!

Ornamentation

This has been such a remarkable season for ornament sales, I had to say something. Early this fall I decided to start painting so that I could get some ornaments into the galleries that carry my stuff. While waiting for Twiggs and Moore to open (I'd gotten there a bit early), I heard a lady talking about always buying an angel ornament for her daughter each year. I introduced myself and showed her the angel ornament in my bag and she bought it on the spot. Meanwhile, I entered a few temple ornaments into the State Fair (won a red ribbon) and thus was discovered by a lady who ordered $100 worth to resell in her boutique. A nieghbor guy asked me to paint and sell him some for his craft fair booths for the season. He took $100 worth with more to come. I had to keep painting. Donna W. in Rock Springs got her standard number for over $100. Then I felt compelled to participate in the Barn Exhibit in Mapleton. It was an odd thing. Anyhow, contacts there led to other ornament sales of $145 and the sale of a painting! Other assorted sales have put me over the $550 mark, just this season! And I don't yet know how the 3 galleries will do. And I remind you of the sale of the Rock Canyon painting and ensuing commission for a portrait. I believe this success has come because I have been a better visiting teacher these last few months. I've been told more than once that this particular calling is connected to my level of blessings. If ever I needed evidence of that promise, this season has produced it. "Prove me now, herewith" He says. Worth thinking about.

Decorating Dementia

I've been thinking about the insanity of decorating. For some reason, we feel compelled to wear ourselves out acknowledging the holidays this way. It's as though we are in danger of Scroogitus and being haunted by various ghosts etc. if we don't dig out our dusty deco and spread it about. Particularly at Christmas. Isn't it funny that we pay homage to the baby born in no house at all by putting symbols of his birthplace all over ours? And the outdoor phenomenon is just nuts. One of our neighbors has music playing that controls a light-show, choreographed with great panache. When I was walking the dog yesterday, I saw the wreckage of another neighbor whose fake trees, deer, snowmen, snowglobe, sleigh and reindeer, gingerbread people etc. had all blown down in the windstorm of the day before. Only the little lightbulb-shaped lanterns still lined the sidewalk. Now don't get me wrong; I really like the stuff, myself. I love to put up our tree with each ornament in perfect harmony with the rest. I sing carols while putting together each creche (we have 17 if you count the nativity stocking holders). And I hang 5-6 nativity prints on the walls, besides. I hug each stuffed snowman and reindeer, greeting each by name as I put them in place. And I've simplified from previous years. Still, I think I'm nuts. We're nuts. But isn't it fun!