Oops

I confess to a certain smugness last week. By Wednesday I had finished my shopping, decorating, wrapping and cards. Plenty of time, I thought, to relax and enjoy life. Then I woke on Thursday sick. I am never sick. A week later and I am just starting to move about again. All those things I was going to relax and do when I wanted to are now piling up into a heap of alarming size. Not quite what I planned at all.
School is now over for the year, David is on holiday, Diana is having a wonderful time in NZ, Andrew and Ann are happily looking forward to their first Christmas in their new home, Mum is well, and here I sit with the Christmas lights twinkling, and I am so thankful for all the real blessings in my life. Perhaps having a rest (enforced) at this time of the year is a special gift.

2005 rushes to a close

Well, it is THAT time of year again.............. time to catch up with all our friends and relatives around the globe, who we think of so often, but rarely find the time to contact during the year. Time to battle through the piles of things in the loft to find the boxes (unlabelled of course) containing all the Christmas decorations. Time to mutter promises to declutter as soon as I have a moment to spare. Time to remember the last mailing dates for the entire world. Time to shop for presents for everyone, wrap them, and stock up with enough food to last a small nation for weeks. Time to try and find replacement light bulbs for Christmas lights that always blow as you plug them in. Or on Christmas Eve. Time for the babes to dance around the lounge to a battery operated singing Father Christmas.
Don't you find that this is also the time you make the most resolutions? I will start next year's shopping in January. I will make all my presents next year. I will label the decorations. I will buy bulbs when I buy the lights. It is, of course, great fun too.
And then, this is the time when we look back over a year that has seen tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, bombs, earthquakes, hunger, poverty, misery and bird flu and realise that we are so unbelievably lucky to be here, healthy and safe, in homes that can shelter us and with families and friends that we love. And maybe it is time we realise what a gift life is, and how little time we really have to waste. I need to use it wisely.
Oh well....... I need coffee. I will be back.