This post is part of Just Jot it January, and today’s prompt comes to us courtesy of my friend, Kim. Check out her blog here!
Family is the most important thing to me. If I had my choice I would live with everyone in a cave, my adult offspring most important, my husband is too. But masses of cousins all over the place and I miss all of them! We all used to live in one area. My grandparents were two doors from each other so we got to see all the relatives on Sundays.
What I only recently figured out was my cousins’ other grandparents were not where mine were.
I thought everyone had it like me. And most of my relatives went to the same church. My dad’s dad helped built the church. His wife and he were known in the church as Mom and Pop. So I was related to everyone. All the kids had my grandma as their primary teacher. We all learned to read The 23rd Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer from her.
My grandparents and parents are no longer with us, but we cousins are still here.
My biggest problem is a phone phobia that keeps me from calling. I know I’ll answer in a minute if they call me but deciding I’m calling now seems impossible.
So among other things I’m working on family is my primary goal.
I love my family, even the non-blood related ones, chosen extended family.
It’s kind of sad how the world forces us to look at one another. We tend to see the package first. Well, I can tell you my friends had great packages way back when; I did, too. Sure, there were the imperfections we saw in ourselves, but looking back, we were something. Now, we have gone through a lot of life working on our issues and trying to become better people. I think we succeeded. And we are following our passions, the things that draw us to learn more and extend ourselves.
But when we get together, it is hard to say goodbye. We enjoy our time together even though we can only see each other through the internet. We are grateful we can see each other. Physically, it is getting harder and harder with lack of funds and aging joints, so a few hours being cheesy, or communicating our lives to each other, is so worth the wi-fi interruptions and family intrusions.
I love being retired. After a lifetime of crafts that I never had the time to dive in whole, even though I had a lot more money, there was no energy at the end of the day, nor the time. Being able to deep dive until the muse is used up on a topic or drive.
Diamond Painting is calling me back, and now that the bigger knitting project is finished, the Dragon from last year needs the sealant so I can send it off.
Oh, that’s the thing about these crafts; it is delightful to indulge deeply, but it is so much better to have someone to gift the finished products to. I know some actually sell their works. But I just can’t get to that point. I don’t like a timeline, and I get too perfectionistic the minute I think someone else will see it or pay for it. The minute ‘time is money,’ it is called a job. I can’t. I just can’t.
But yummy yarn, loom knitting, crocheting, Tunisian crochet, diamond painting, drawing, Zentangles, playing with my wig or my own hair (a throwback to my first career of being a cosmetologist), all my musical instruments recorders, ukelele, piano, singing, coloring, rainbow looming, writing, reading. There are many I’m afraid I’m leaving out, and I feel like a bad parent for neglecting them to the point of forgetting their names! And are they all considered crafts? Then there’s macaroni. Oh, yeah, that’s spelled with a ‘K’!
It just so happens that I woke to one of my old pastimes, singing with Sheriff John. I couldn’t remember all the lyrics, and my first search turned up this YouTube.
I hope this brought you a bit of cheer. I’m happier!
Thank you, Linda, for this fun month. And to our prompter for the day, Di, for pastimes.
Your prompt for JusJoJan January 1st 2024, is “train.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Thank you, Linda!
Train
Some people wake up and see their day full of organized plans like this.
It’s peaceful to know where the train is taking you.
On a good day I wake to
Mostly my trains have a spiderweb network of tracks that overwhelms me.
This blog helps me focus. In case you think yarn and weather is all I deal with, just know it’s just about all I concentrate on before life and distractions take me elsewhere.
Oh, speaking of weather
This is how 2024 started in Christmas Valley. Freezing Fog. It looks like snow. But it isn’t. And you can only see just beyond the porch.
Rosey at 20 finally likes me and my lap as much loved as her main human’s, my hubby.
Leg warmers are getting more colorful. Wow, they’ve reached 10 inches of 24. Among other projects.
So, I need to train my brain on the personal possibilities of this new year.
My stationary bike goal has increased from 5 miles in 30 minutes to more miles in less time. Today I reached 5 in 28. So win!
I know last year I planned on podcasting. Stagefright won. So it goes back on the list of things I still feel I want to do.
Besides German, Spanish, Italian, French, Scottish Gaelic, Latin, Esperanto, Japanese, Navajo, Hebrew, I’d like to add a couple more to my Duolingo list so that I am always doing 10 lessons a day. And I want to get more serious about my American Sign Language classes. My brain loves working on languages.
Hello editing. You are cruelest of all. I’ll do what I can and finished products will go see the light of day on the podcast.
I still will continue working on getting healthier.
My diamond paintings are calling so tomorrow I will play.
Why did music find itself this far down the list? With a new ukulele, I’m trying to learn to make my fingers fit the chords needed. But daily practice might get me there, right?
The recorder is calling. No more trying Carols. Now I can enjoy whatever music strikes my fancy.
Okay, piano. I hear you. I will turn around from the diamond painting table and tickle you on occasion.
Singing loud and proud and dancing like no one is watching sneak into this list.
And that’s not including the bins of organizing I’m already doing.
And I want to get over my phone fear and try to enjoy socializing a bit.
There are only so many hours in a day but all these trains want to leave the station and make their way to improvement and new possibilities. There has to be a way. Some things must be daily Duolingo and blogging (no longer on a struggling list but on the ‘it happens’ like eating list).
The list looks like last year. More has been added. Few trains ended their tracks. My brain and strength expand to meet the fun.
Good thing I had to get up at 3:53AM. I peaked through the curtain and the porch was white. We weren’t expecting snow. Just in case it’s gone by morning, here’s proof the sky wanted to give Christmas Valley a beginning-to-look-like nod.
It’s still coming down.
My son and his beautiful lady came to see us yesterday. Today, during the day, they are driving back home. Spare a prayer for them and other travelers for Christmas love.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “spruce.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Not a spruce. Just a trio of fake trees. A live pretend tree won’t get here until the day after Christmas. And it is Rosemary not spruce.
This guy always looks spruced up for the holidays. He just likes to photo bomb if the tree gets attention.
So with the health issues in the house we didn’t get to do much sprucing up around here, even though we have company coming tomorrow.
I’m excited that I get to see #3 and his special lady. And we plan, if weather permits, to finally hike to Crack in the Ground. I’ll take pictures and send the YouTube if we get to go.
And right on time these socks are ready for the new owners. I hope they fit. They fit on the blockers.
My brother has been busy. Our floor in the bedroom was so bad it was like tightrope walking. My husband fell and with a lack of good flooring it was hard to help him back up. Anyway my brother got busy and made a safer floor for us. No more falling. And he was the decorator, putting up and finally lighting our tree and window. We are so lucky to have him around.💜🤗
May all of you have a blessed Holiday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas.
I’m in love with these. Sadly, they are not my size. Hopefully, they will be finished after a bit of ankle then a cuff. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Long leggings. I love the colors, but am not as excited doing these as actual socks.
These are ankle and cuff from being done. I hope I can finish these and the pinkies on top by the weekend.
Really, I’m more excited about actually finishing my laundry today. Oh. I still have a couple dishes in the sink. You’ll hear my Ta-Da before I go to bed.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “bake.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Our half-baked Christmas Tree-o.
Yeah. These poor trees may be on their last year. I even ordered a live tree, well, Rosemary bush shaped like a tree. But it won’t get here until AFTER Christmas. One thing we realized this morning as my brother did the heavy lifting, as I played director, was the lights wouldn’t work. So they will be a purchase to make later this week.
Hopefully, we’ll have a festive mood by the actual day. We hope we’ll have company. But haven’t a clue what we’ll cook. I’m not into cooking. But I hope we can find a frozen veggie lasagna to bake. Otherwise, I have no clue! Christmas Valley is closed on the actual holiday so no restaurant experience for the non-cook.
Look who’s hiding beside and behind the exercise equipment we didn’t have in years before. He’ll give me an uplifting feeling as I ride my stationary bike.
Not a baker not even for the half-baked Christmas 🎄
But have a fully baked Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “to me.” Find a way to use the phrase “to me” in your post. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
That’s easy! Happy Birthday to me!!! I am so blessed with so much family and so many friends. And the line blurs between.
Recently, I got the notice of over 2,000 followers. That was a shock. I’m just keeping track of my passions and my life.
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
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