Merry everything, happy always

1. Winter holiday season. This year it’s been especially lovely for me. In years past, I spent the weeks before scrambling to get CSU work finished before heading out for a 4-6 day writing and meditation retreat and scrambling either just before I left or just after I got back to get presents bought, wrapped, and shipped, and even with all that effort, usually because of the dates of the retreat, I’d miss being home for Eric’s birthday. This year NONE of that happened. I wasn’t working, I didn’t go on retreat, and I had all the presents bought, wrapped and shipped by Eric’s birthday, which we celebrated together. Then I found myself with a whole week left to enjoy the anticipation of the big holiday without any of the stress and speed. I could get used to this.

2. Holiday traditions with Eric. We got a tree again this year, only our 3rd or 4th one, and last night we went to a holiday themed show at the Lincoln Center, a venue only 10 minutes away from our house. I was way into Mannheim Steamroller in high school. That said, Eric and I went to their Christmas show last night, and it was one of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced. Like at one point I leaned over and said to Eric, “if I were high right now, I’d be so freaked out.” It was like a Christmas rave. The light show and supplemental video was bonkers (at one point in the show, a song ended and the entire audience was so distracted by the accompanying video, no one clapped), and even though it was a Christmas themed concert, the arrangements were so fantastic, I didn’t even recognize most of it. Good show, just bonkers. We’ve been watching holiday themed TV at night and listening to Christmas music. We’ll go out for Chinese food at our favorite restaurant on Christmas eve. I went to the grocery store today to get most of what we need for Christmas dinner before things get too busy, and even though I forgot my list at home and Eric was napping so couldn’t text me a picture of it, I got everything but two items.

3. Flowers in the bathroom, holiday themed.

4. Teaching holiday themed yoga. My Tuesday class was one of the last ones most of my regular class would be at, so we had some fun renaming poses (downward dog became “downward reindeer”) and making up some moves (“snow angels” and “dancing reindeer”), listening to Christmas music, and sharing gifts. It was fun.

There’s a container of cheddar biscuits on the counter and they are trying convince me they are “for dogs”

5. My tiny family. They are the best.

This little dude turned 52 this week. This is him in a suit his mom made for him, and it’s one of my favorite pictures.

Bonus joy: hanging out with Mikalina, writing with Carrie, talking to my mom, running into friends I haven’t seen in a while, grocery shopping (I know, I’m weird like that), having all the laundry done even if it’s not quite put away, the twinkle of Christmas lights in the dark, texting with my brother, finding a present the two year old liked, good TV (even if it’s sort of dumb, or maybe especially if it’s sort of dumb because sometimes that’s all you can handle and exactly what you want), good books (I’m finishing The Night Circus), impeachment (even though I don’t actually want him removed because Pence is just as bad just more sneaky about it, and I’m not feeling hopeful he won’t get reelected, but at least there has finally been some shred of consequence for his actions), a good Pilates class, the pool and sauna finally reopening, a massage, a big salad, good bread.

1. Morning walks, and the various shades and colors of the Colorado sky. We’ve had to stick to the main roads because there are still patches of ice and snow from our big snow a few weeks ago, and it’s now back to being dark our whole walk, the sun only beginning to rise once we reach home. We haven’t seen much wildlife and it’s been so quiet.

The view from our front porch

2. We got our Christmas tree! We’ve only had one for the past three or four years after years without. The state of the world made us long for more light, more joy during this season and now it’s one of my favorite things all year. It only fell over twice before we finally got it settled.

3. Practice. Keeping me sane for over a decade.

The shrine on my writing desk where I sit and write morning pages every day

4. Celebrating the season with friends. We went to a fun party where, among other things, we decorated gingerbread houses. This coming week I get to teach a Christmas themed yoga class (it’s the last one before Christmas where everyone will be there, so we are celebrating a week early) and give out goodie bags.

5. My tiny family. They are my favorites. Eric is officially on vacation now, Sam had a bit of a setback but he seems to be feeling better, and Ringo continues to be the family jester. The dogs also got a bath this past week. When humans take a shower, it only involves at most a towel or two, a washcloth, maybe a hand towel, and a set of clean clothes. When (my) dogs take a bath, it involves washing not just the dogs, but 29 towels, two bath mats, all the blankets on the living room couches and chairs, as well as blankets on four different beds, and depending on how long since the last bath, maybe collars and harnesses too. It’s a lot of work, but totally worth it.

Post bath handsome

Bonus joy: good books (I just got done reading The Water Dancer), good TV (the third season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is streaming on Netflix), good movies (I watched Marriage Story, phew…), good podcasts (Mary Lambert and her partner started a new one that’s really good, The Manic Episodes), [seriously, there is WAY too much good content, which is double the trouble when you are a content creator, as in it limits the time you spend creating and is more competition for what you create], trying new classes at the gym and loving them, honoring my own truth when it would be really easy not to, writing with Carrie and Mikalina and Chloe’, knowing I just don’t have to, feeling a bit more energetic and inspired, other people’s honesty when you really need the truth, Strawberry Santa Hats, mixing hot cocoa with marshmallows in my coffee (so far the experiment is working, I am only drinking a cup every other day and that feels workable), reading in bed at night while Eric and the dogs sleep next to me, how much more Ringo wants to get on the couch and cuddle with me now that I’m home more often, how I can always depend on Sam to take a shower or nap with me (he keeps me company while I’m in the shower, doesn’t actually get in with me), having all the laundry done and put away, our heavier down blanket on the bed now that it’s colder, clean sheets, cooking new recipes, eating tried and true recipes, my new favorite owl pajama pants, laughing.