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Who else is in the holiday spirit?!

I've been caught up in holiday preparations so haven't been logging on in the group lately. I did get a lot done, overdid it on several occasions which flared my fibromyalgia but I feel like I am ahead of the game this year. My sister and brother inlaw came to visit yesterday from Vermont so that was enjoyable and festive. We won't see each other for Christmas, so that was our holiday celebration together.

Next I have some craft projects I am working on and then need to start my baking and freeze them for gifts later in the month. So if I am in and out from the group, that's why!
 
What a great way to celebrate with family. We are having ours on the 26 aka Boxing Day or kwanza I think that is how it is spelled. I love home baked gifts as Christmas gifts. Taking friend shopping tomorrow. No idea what I am doing. Was working in basement today to set up sewing area. Needed a second folding table, a heater and likely stealing chair from porch. Found my brother sewing machine so now I can do denims or canvas. Totes? Maybe I don’t know.
 
Happy sewing Roni! I made 7 Christmas stockings today for my daughter and her boyfriend and all the combined kids. We were all going to do it together but they were exposed to Covid and have been quarantined. Thankfully they tested negative but to be on the safe side, they are doing the quarantine anyway. But I enjoyed decorating them myself and listening to Christmas music really got me in the mood.
 
I am working on the holiday spirits. I am doing fabric paint on T-shirts for all of our members. We did do this 4 years ago. The shirts are getting old and some of our members are newer so they do not have a shirt.

They are looking kind of cute.

We will have Santa come in and give them each a shirt. Santa with a mask of course.
 
Jack spent last week putting our outdoor lights up. I will try to get a picture soon. We are working on the tree, but I haven't been up to doing my part of separating the branches properly. I have trouble standing for more than a few minutes at a time, so the tree is slow going.

My daughters are both coming here for Christmas with their husband/boyfriend and my grandson. My younger daughter and her boyfriend are bringing Christmas dinner so that I don't have to cook. I am so looking forward to having everyone here for Christmas but have not had the energy to prepare.

My cardiologist has put me on a drug to raise my blood pressure. Unfortunately, the medication makes my scalp itch like crazy and drives me insane.

They are mailing me another ekg patch to be worn for 2 weeks this time. Hopefully we will document enough SVTs for them to do a cardiac ablation, as they cannot treat the SVTs with medication as my blood pressure is too low.

Anyway this is my favorite time of the year. If I can get these branches separated on this tree, and a few of my favorite ornaments up, all will be right in my world! :)
 
3momchaos said:
Aww Kathi I’ve been thinking about you and hoping you’re improving! I’m so happy your daughters are coming for Christmas.
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Thanks! It has been a rough few months. I did see my surgeon too. He thinks my surgery did contribute to my health issues in that my blood pressure naturally ran low, and when I lost weight of course my blood pressure dropped as well. Unfortunately, the SVTs cause drops in blood pressure as well. I am losing a lot of weight though!

I love your new picture!
 
Kathi_S said:
Jack spent last week putting our outdoor lights up. I will try to get a picture soon. We are working on the tree, but I haven't been up to doing my part of separating the branches properly. I have trouble standing for more than a few minutes at a time, so the tree is slow going.

My daughters are both coming here for Christmas with their husband/boyfriend and my grandson. My younger daughter and her boyfriend are bringing Christmas dinner so that I don't have to cook. I am so looking forward to having everyone here for Christmas but have not had the energy to prepare.

My cardiologist has put me on a drug to raise my blood pressure. Unfortunately, the medication makes my scalp itch like crazy and drives me insane.

They are mailing me another ekg patch to be worn for 2 weeks this time. Hopefully we will document enough SVTs for them to do a cardiac ablation, as they cannot treat the SVTs with medication as my blood pressure is too low.

Anyway this is my favorite time of the year. If I can get these branches separated on this tree, and a few of my favorite ornaments up, all will be right in my world! :)
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Kathi, take it as slow as you need to. So glad your daughters will be coming for Christmas and bringing the food!!! Yay!!!
 
dianeseattle said:
Holidays are simply not a happy time for a huge part of the world population. The stack of "please give" letters stuffed in my mailbox don't help. One-year, I wrote "deceased" on them and put them in outgoing mail. Backfired big time. They came back stamped with notes asking for forwarding addresses.

Aside from a sense of personal failure, people I love seem to be suffering. And those I've supported when they were down seem oblivious to my need for love and companionship.

But worst of all is how stupid I am. I got an email from a famous author, a historic figure whose been friends with me for decades. She emails and snail-mails with me a few times a year. It's a genuine honor but for some reason, I don't appreciate it as much as I should. I haven't even written her back.

I used to love the end-of-the-year holidays. But then everything became so fake and loaded with conditions. I need to take my $200 7' gorgeous fake tree down to St. Vincents so some family can stand it up gloriously in their living room.

Anyway, I'm truly happy for you who will celebrate. I know youd be caroling outside my door if you could. But there comes a point for some where it's simply exhausting, not joyful, and hectic, not peaceful. Those are the times I used to sit in the dark and watch snow fall through the streetlight glow and feel peace on earth. Unfortunately, it rarely snows in Seattle anymore.

Okay, no more whining. Even if my life isn't joyful anymore because of age and poverty and depression, I can reach out to someone sleeping on the streets with a dollar or a meal in a lunch sack. I may have a decade left to live, so I need to fight to make those ten-ish years as loving as possible.

After all, ive had an extraordinary life.
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I do get that the holidays can be hard on so many people. My daughter is one of them. Last year was probably one of the worst for her and she is going into this holiday with little hope it will be better, but she is trying. At least this year we can see each other, which I think made it worse when all we could do was drop off gifts and that was it. But for some reason, ever since she was a teenager, holidays got very hard for her. She would seem to be happy up until a certain point of the day and then just go into a meltdown. It was so predictable. I really can't say if it stems from issues of her adoption and feelings that her birth family gave her up because this tends to happen around her birthday as well.

Yes, Diane, we would go sing carols for you if we could. (Okay, well maybe you don't want to hear me sing, but it's the thought that counts!) I'll bet someone would absolutely love to get that Christmas tree. We donated our huge one several years back. It was fairly new too. Was able to rotate, play Christmas music and several choices of how the lights display. It was just way too heavy and too big for our house, so I hope whoever has it gets enjoyment from it.

Sending you hugs and love Diane.
 
dianeseattle said:
Holidays are simply not a happy time for a huge part of the world population. The stack of "please give" letters stuffed in my mailbox don't help. One-year, I wrote "deceased" on them and put them in outgoing mail. Backfired big time. They came back stamped with notes asking for forwarding addresses.

Aside from a sense of personal failure, people I love seem to be suffering. And those I've supported when they were down seem oblivious to my need for love and companionship.

But worst of all is how stupid I am. I got an email from a famous author, a historic figure whose been friends with me for decades. She emails and snail-mails with me a few times a year. It's a genuine honor but for some reason, I don't appreciate it as much as I should. I haven't even written her back.

I used to love the end-of-the-year holidays. But then everything became so fake and loaded with conditions. I need to take my $200 7' gorgeous fake tree down to St. Vincents so some family can stand it up gloriously in their living room.

Anyway, I'm truly happy for you who will celebrate. I know youd be caroling outside my door if you could. But there comes a point for some where it's simply exhausting, not joyful, and hectic, not peaceful. Those are the times I used to sit in the dark and watch snow fall through the streetlight glow and feel peace on earth. Unfortunately, it rarely snows in Seattle anymore.

Okay, no more whining. Even if my life isn't joyful anymore because of age and poverty and depression, I can reach out to someone sleeping on the streets with a dollar or a meal in a lunch sack. I may have a decade left to live, so I need to fight to make those ten-ish years as loving as possible.

After all, ive had an extraordinary life.
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I understand what you're saying Diane. If my daughters were still not speaking to me, the holidays would be a lot harder for me. I have to tell you that I am still struggling with my depression too, and my ongoing health issues are not helping. I do my best to try and stay positive when I can.

I'm sorry things seem so gloomy for you. I'd love to come sing for you as well, but I'm not even allowed to sing in my home!

Hang in there sweetie, the next decade may very well be the best 10 years of your life. I plan on making them mine!
 
dianeseattle said:
Judy, not only would I love to hear you sing, I'd stick around for belches, hacks, harumphs or any ordinary squeak or pop your body might make. You've been a beacon of light here for a long time, and I haven't said it more because part of your glow is just being self actualized enough to give it away instead of gobbling it up. Imagine my heart brimming with admiration for you. I know you can, because you know it's true.
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Thank you Diane and right back at ya!
 
dianeseattle said:
Holidays are simply not a happy time for a huge part of the world population. The stack of "please give" letters stuffed in my mailbox don't help. One-year, I wrote "deceased" on them and put them in outgoing mail. Backfired big time. They came back stamped with notes asking for forwarding addresses.

Aside from a sense of personal failure, people I love seem to be suffering. And those I've supported when they were down seem oblivious to my need for love and companionship.

But worst of all is how stupid I am. I got an email from a famous author, a historic figure whose been friends with me for decades. She emails and snail-mails with me a few times a year. It's a genuine honor but for some reason, I don't appreciate it as much as I should. I haven't even written her back.

I used to love the end-of-the-year holidays. But then everything became so fake and loaded with conditions. I need to take my $200 7' gorgeous fake tree down to St. Vincents so some family can stand it up gloriously in their living room.

Anyway, I'm truly happy for you who will celebrate. I know youd be caroling outside my door if you could. But there comes a point for some where it's simply exhausting, not joyful, and hectic, not peaceful. Those are the times I used to sit in the dark and watch snow fall through the streetlight glow and feel peace on earth. Unfortunately, it rarely snows in Seattle anymore.

Okay, no more whining. Even if my life isn't joyful anymore because of age and poverty and depression, I can reach out to someone sleeping on the streets with a dollar or a meal in a lunch sack. I may have a decade left to live, so I need to fight to make those ten-ish years as loving as possible.

After all, ive had an extraordinary life.
Click to expand...
Oh Diane, my heart aches when I think of you experiencing pain that overtakes the joy that being alive, at a healthy weight, and living your best life brings. I too would be joining in singing nearly at the top of my lungs after providing earplugs & earmuffs for everyone else. I hope you can find bits and pieces of beauty & happiness and to make your own special collage that brings you some peace & gladness. Sounds kinda corny, I know, but this comes from my heart. ❤❤❤❤
 
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