PLANS?

[A little trip into Nostalgia Country.....]

Last week we had our first "snowstorm" of the season--after a 2-3-day fall, snow reached 6-8 inches on the ground. Then Spring came (sorta-kinda) and it all went away. A few days later, temps soared into the 60s.

Well, it was a taste of Winter, right? 

That was what I was going to write about last week--then the computers (both of them) had the audacity to go off on a wild fling (I can't figure it was anything else), and leave me high and dry. We have now made up, though I'm keeping my eye on them.

And, I was going to look at some of the Things We Can Do On Snowy Days. For instance:

• Catch up on projects that have gone by the wayside. Do you have any of those? Some people don't--they just abandon said project and pick up something new.
• Figure out a new fun thing to do--skating, skiing, snowboarding, making snow angels with the kids. Afterwards, tanking up on hot chocolate and thick oatmeal cookies (or your favorite snacks).
  
  
  

For those of us who appreciate a little alone time:

• Disconnect the doorbell--turn off the phone ringers (yes, cell phone, too!)--give yourself, and your family, some quiet time.
• Binge! Your favorite tv shows (old or new)--movies--documentaries you've been meaning to watch.
• Or, if you're really into Quiet Time, dig into that pile of books by your favorite chair--sample a few of them--pick the one that resonates this very day (you'll recognize it, it's the one you read to page 45 before you remember there are more to check out).
• For the cooks--make up every recipe you've been wanting to try. For this one, you have to have the ingredients on hand--no shopping. Don't have everything you need? Then improvise--make something new out of something old.

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Since the Big Snowstorm didn't last long enough, we had to do our regular stuff. But we also managed to clear out some drawers of clothing, raid the various closets for too-large, too-small, wrong color items that could be treasured by a local charity shop. We felt successful. And we have 3+ boxes to deliver tomorrow.

I did start a book I always read around Christmas time, Winter Solstice, a 504-page blockbuster by the late Rosamund Pilcher. In case you're wondering, yes, I remember the story, the characters, how it all folds together and ends satisfactorily. And because I remember, that's why I reread it nearly every winter.

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Next week we in the US will celebrate Thanksgiving. On a quick drive through my town yesterday, I saw enough pumpkins to fill a ten-acre field. Then we turned onto our street, and a new neighbor has already decorated for Christmas! But we're ecumenical here--over a block or so the Halloween 15-foot tall skeleton is still swaying in the wind.

Wherever you are, whatever your taste, I hope you enjoy the changing seasons. They may not be what we'd order, given that chance, but popular wisdom tells us--if you wait five minutes, the weather will change! Just be careful making plans.

Blessings,

Thursday's Child

 

Six Years Ago: 

BLESSINGS - INCOMING

[On November 7, 2019, Thursday's Child shared an essay about blessings. Now, six years later--and maybe more than ever, we need to count our blessings. Everybody has blessings, trust me on this. And--here's a radical thought: maybe all those things we consider thorns in our sides, or disappointments that blindsided us, or disasters of a truly Biblical nature--maybe, just  maybe, they are blessings, after all. Think about it. And while you do that, walk down memory lane with me from six years ago, November 2019.]

Remember Bing Crosby's song in White Christmas?

     "When I'm worried, and I can't sleep,
     I count my blessings, instead of sheep,
     and I fall asleep, counting my blessings."

Yes, it's a little early for Bing & Co. But it's never too early--nor too late--to count one's blessings. Here are some of mine:

1-5: a home of my own; family who keep in touch (we have so many ways to make contact); friends and acquaintances who keep me social; neighbors who keep me from thinking my way is the only right way to live; and good people who work on my house, attend to my yard, and wait on me when I do my shopping.

6-9: living in a small town that cares about its citizens; and a country that allows me the freedom to vote as I see fit; freedom to worship in public; choices when I visit shops. 

10-15: a free public library that provides books, movies, recordings, as well as digital services, public programs, and art exhibits. 

16-18: good health; if health breaks down, many opportunities for treatment in my community; good medical personnel, in many specialties; a YMCA with fitness equipment, walking/running tracks, and fitness programs for individual or group work. 

19-20: opportunities to serve others; places to share joy through music and the written word.

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When I started this post, I realized it could easily get out of hand. The above list could go on and on and on . . . one blessing recalls another, and then another. Sometimes they're right in front of my face. Sometimes they're completely visible, but I'm looking the other way. 

You don't have to make a list to count your blessings. Just think of three or four ways you know you are blessed. Before you realize it, you'll go far beyond those three or four.

Have a blessed week!

Thursday's Child