'Twas the Season

My Christmas season started this year when I drove home one day and thought my neighborhood was on fire. As it turned out, the Griswalds across the street had just put up their Christmas lights with no less than 43 snowmen of all varieties throughout the yard. A couple of weeks later Eric and I hung a couple of stockings on the mantel and a palsy little wreath on the door and almost called it a day. But then we realized it was our first year owning ALL the pieces of our beautiful nativity set, so it debuted on the mantel between the stockings.

Having a few decorations seemed to inspire us, and we began making plans to attend various holiday events. On December 9, Eric and I attended a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols presented by the Emory University Chorus and Emory Concert Choir. Some version of this service has been performed for 82 years at Emory, and it was absolutely beautiful. A flood of wonderful Christmas choir tour memories from college swept over me, and I ended up crying through half the service!

On December 10, Eric and I drove his mom up to Lake Lanier for the 14th annual Magical Nights of Lights. What an amazing display! My favorite was the Twelve Days of Christmas, with the SpongeBob SquarePants Santa coming in a close 2nd (kidding).

Over the next couple of weeks, we finished up our Christmas shopping, wrapped lots of gifts, and finalized our holiday plans with our family. This was the first year in a while that we didn't have to fly across the country, so we were thankful for catching that little break. Even with new jobs, we managed to spend three entire days in my hometown, flitting from one relative to the next -- eating, opening gifts, more eating, singing carols, going to church, and eating. It was busy and exhausting, and we loved every minute of it!

So now we're back home, and the decorations are back in their box. (Wish I could say the same for the Griswalds). 'Twas the season to be jolly and blessed and grateful for friends and family near and far.

Clowning Around

Most professionals transition between work and non-work activities without drawing much attention to themselves. For example, if you saw me at the post office during my lunch break, it wouldn't be obvious to you that I'm a social worker. And you likely can't match all those people in line at Starbucks every morning to their chosen professions. Sometimes a person's attire will offer a clue about her profession. If you saw a woman wearing scrubs at the grocery store, you might assume she was a doctor, but it would not seem odd that she was at the grocery store. Everyone has to eat, right?

So why is it that I am so perplexed every time I see clowns out to lunch? There is a group of professional clowns who frequently have lunch at a local establishment, and I have seen them on several occasions. They are always in full clown attire -- wide neckties, red noses, bright colored face makeup, floppy shoes, funny hats -- the whole enchilada (except sometimes they remove their red noses to eat). These guys sit and have normal lunchtime conversations like the rest of us, but I still can't wrap my head around it. I mean, seriously... clowns eating lunch? What is that about?!

And Then There Were Seven!

I've noticed that as she gets older, our cat Sabrina - who is beautiful and who can be loving and sweet - gets more and more grumpy. She's almost nine (getting old and set in her ways perhaps), and she first came to live with Eric when she was barely a year old. Looking back over events of the past eight years, I guess I can understand her grumpiness.

When she was first adopted by Eric, I was definitely in the picture but not full time because I still had my own apartment. So I was just an occasional visitor, and Sabrina likes occasional visitors. But what she really loves is being by herself in the house and sometimes having Eric around to pet her and of course feed her. When it was just the two of them, Sabrina was happy.

Fast forward a couple of years to our wedding, and I moved in for good. Sabrina probably would have been okay with that, but it just so happened that the same week I moved in, a tiny kitty showed up on the back porch. It took us a couple of weeks to coax him inside, and by then he was a new member of the family - Toby. Thus began Sabrina's general displeasure with the overall state of the household.

Any time we have company over for the day or evening, Sabrina thoroughly enjoys visiting with the guests. But if anyone stays overnight, she begins to state her objection with a certain meow and even a certain look on her face. So imagine how she has felt the past week now that Eric's mom AND cat are living with us! We added two additional household members without much warning, and it's pointless to try and explain to Sabrina that this is a temporary situation. She's just not hearing it.

One night this past week almost sent her completely over the edge. When I got home from work, there was a puppy wandering around the neighborhood. Some construction workers on our street told me the little guy had almost been hit several times and was obviously trying to find his way back home. He had a tag with a phone number, but I couldn't reach his owner. So...Peanut stayed with us for a few hours until we were able to return him home safely. He was a cute little squirt who minded his own business for the most part (which is impressive for a puppy), but once again, there was no reasoning with Sabrina.

Eight years ago, it was just the two of them - Sabrina and Eric - and Sabrina was happy. Today, there are six of us (and for one night - seven), and she is grumpy. Who can blame her, really?

"Like, the NUMBER seven?!"

This was my response when I woke up this morning and my husband told me the wind chill was seven. My brain simply could not compute how that was possible. But once I walked outside to go to my car, I fully understood what he meant.

I am certainly not complaining, though. For nine years, I griped about there not being any seasons in Texas other than hot. So now that I am finally experiencing an actual winter again, I am going to put on my scarf and gloves and face the biting cold like a champ.