Sigh...
And the Grinch was me.
Having been dealing with vertigo and just a lot of stuff taking up my time and energy, I was not excited about the advent of the holiday season.
There were newsletters to prepare and send out by snail mail or email, shopping for gifts, wrapping them, finding gifts for neighbors, getting our flu and COVID shots, getting the house ready for our daughter and family to come, baking fruitcakes for lots of people, getting monetary gifts ready for day care helpers for mom, etc. I just didn't know where to even start!
Therefore when Art suggested getting our holiday tree out, I smiled but made no moves to start. I just didn't want to think about it.
Well, one morning he suggested we do it now.
Sigh...
I got out our box of holiday materials.
As I held each ornament that our kids, grandkids or long ago students had made for us, I started to feel a spark of memory that lightened my spirit.
I then held hangings sent by relatives in Japan and many close friends.
When Keola was still living with us, he'd hang these angels around the house and we'd forget where he hung them. It became kind of a joke so he'd always hide at least one so we'd forget to put it away.
I guess I wasn't feeling quite so grinchy now. I was filled with the memories of holiday fun. Our good friend, Myra then suggested making a list of the things that needed to be done.
I did and every time I checked something off, my spirit lightened. The list put some order into my feeling of mayhem.
OK... now I need to get fruitcakes baked so I shall have to end this post wishing you a stressless holiday season.
It's hard to get going sometimes, especially when you've been laid low with illness. Happy memories really do help.
ReplyDeleteYou can give yourself permission to change it up. I had some horrible Christmases when I was alone, kids at their dad's house. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteA list is always helpful. Trying to keep it in your head causes stress. Putting it on paper takes it out of your head and then you can pick a choose what needs to be done when.
ReplyDeleteIt's a low key Christmas for us here. We'll see only half of the family but then they head out to in laws for a week so no one around but us, their dog, their chickens and their rabbit.
Our energy decreases but memories can be sweet.
ReplyDeleteI hope I never get vertigo. I can't imagine how debilitating it must be. But I'm glad to hear that Christmas eventually got you going again.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to get overwhelmed at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteHope the vertigo eases up. Love how the "hidden" angel sneaks around. Better than Elf on the Shelf. I try to make lists for the store or what I need to do. I finally stopped "sort of" shopping, so now I need to wrap things for the growing grandson! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteWe just had 2 dinners at our house and one more to attend! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThe only Christmas thing done this year was to take out the Christmas mugs and Christmas linens. I haven't decorated for years since I retired. Too much work. I need less work, not more. I did coffee fellowship at church yesterday and had Christmsasy things for that, but it was still lots of work even though I had my local bakery do all of the food. I just don't have the energy or desire to make a big to-do.
ReplyDeleteWe relive the memories also when we put our our decorations. We have ornaments our grown kids made many years ago. Ornaments from travel locations. And a Mr. & Mrs. Claus statues that have the date 1968 written on the bottom in my mother's writing. I remember those being put out every year during my childhood.
ReplyDeleteI don't have to do anything for Christmas this year because the kids have traveled to the Mainland, woohoo! However, my to do list is huge and I am actually chipping away at some of the major ones - which really feels great!
ReplyDeletebtw, I was getting dizzy issues - not quite vertigo but bordering on it a few weeks ago. I looked back and remembered that I changed one of my brain boosting supplements. I take those because I am getting forgetful with short term memories. So, I stopped and immediately the dizzyness went away. Maybe look at all the supplements/drugs that you are taking, withhold one for one day and see how you feel. Go back to taking if no change in your vertigo. Repeat with another one. Sometimes a simple solution of taking away works wonders.
It would be fascinating to know which supplement you eliminated?
DeleteCeci
Kay of Musings: I agree with Ceci. That would be interesting to know which supplement caused the problem. I haven’t changed any of the supplements or medications I take so I don’t think it’s that. I think.
DeleteI was at my dentist last week and she said she has vertigo too. I gave her my Brandt-Daroff maneuver to do. Her hygienist has had vertigo since college days. Dr. Chun said it’s amazing how many of her patients suffer from vertigo.
I have been taking soft gel caps for brain health and then started on Green Valley Naturals "Advanced Brain Power", which are capsules. It contains Biotin, Chromium, Memo-Q Silk Protein Hydrolsate, Sage leaf extract, Luteolin 98% (from Sophora japonica flower), Skullcap extract (root), Resveratrol. For now I will just not take any brain supplements. A curious side effect from stoppin is that I think my grey hair is getting a bit darker.
DeleteI understand your lack of holiday spirit, Kay, and I'm so glad the memories restored you. Before I start all of the holiday stuff we do, I think of all of the work it takes. Then I plunge in anyway because I'm not ready to give it up. That doesn't mean I don't have Grinchy moments though.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we need something to get our head pointed in the right direction. You found something that helps
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Kay! I like how you handled this one step at a time and found meaning and memories in your decorating. Hope your holiday are filled with love and peace.
ReplyDeleteJust like Santa. Make a list and check things off!
ReplyDeleteKay, I understand. Vertigo would be awful... and I found this Christmas a bit overwhelming too since all my eye surgeries. But even though we didn't do as much as usual, we did get it done. Your idea about the angel ornament meant a lot to me. My son gave us all these little silver angels when we met together for a memorial after his son died - and now I know what to do with them! We can put them on our tree as a remembrance! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh... Rian... I'm so sorry for your loss. I think putting it on your tree is a lovely remembrance. I do see Keola's laughing smile whenever I see the angels even thought he's now on the other side of the world.
DeletePleased to read that Christmas has got you going again.
ReplyDeleteSending good wishes across the miles.
All the best Jan