Oh Christmas Tree

I did not want to do Christmas. Then I went to the Knitwits party and it was so pretty, I wanted a little Christmas. My friend owns the Evergreen Nursery and she surprised me with a perfect tree as tall as me. She also brought a gorgeous live wreath. That is a splurge. No ladder, no problem. Karen came over and I drug out as much as I could reach easily, and 4 hours later, we have Christmas. It is scaled way back and has a knitty theme. Ryan will love it, and my joy is intact. Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Sneaky December

It holds a prestigious place on the calender. Final month of the year. The Grand finale and chock full of Holidays, celebrations and deadlines. Something for everyone.

So why does it ambush us and take us by surprise??? I hoped to post about Thanksgiving and now it seems so passe??? Tonight I attended my first Christmas party. It was great fun in a perfect Christmas house with my favorite ladies- the Knitwits. We had so much fun- eating, drinking, and laughing.

Every year December comes along and I never feel prepared. Yet it arrives and rushes by. Breathe my friends. Breathe...

Weekly Wisdom

Last Monday I posted 3 times in anger over the tree situation, etc. Today I'm sitting down to a quick update fresh from attending the funeral of a friend that lived well and was loved. He was honored by his 5 children and friends for his talent and temperament. It is good to attend funerals (especially when the deceased was such a great person) as a way to reflect upon the ways in which you may be remembered.

The funny thing is that the buzz of a chainsaw is once again the music in the backdrop of this scene.Seems the tree guy left behind several large branches hanging precariously from the top of one of the Eucalyptus still standing. Now he is cleaning up. My rage is spent. Vented in a million ways, the energy of all of that angst is gone. I hope I am remembered as a person that blew her stack and expressed freely her feelings. Good and Bad. But, at the end of the day, with the energy of anger drained away, there remained a thoughtful and restored Marsha, ready to fight another day.

I am always ready to fight the good fight. Although, I have felt tired of late and likened my will to a slab of granite that has a trough furrowed into it by a single constant drip of water. The source of the dripping water varies, but each drop leaves a mark and deepens the furrow.

Last night we took Ryan to the beautiful Handel's "Messiah". That was a peaceful 2 hour respite that we all needed. The Christmas cards and all of the shopping and shipping remain to be done. We baked cookies yesterday, Ryan and I. He really is my "foreverchild" and this willingness to spend time in traditional Christmas activities is a gift to me. Autism and retardation benefits must be claimed where they exist!

I am knitting a Brioche Gaiter designed by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2007, and the stitch is giving me fits. I tore it out twice after an inch each time looked wrong. Now, I am certain that in the round my count is gone off- but the piece is pretty and interesting, so I will finish it, Roxanne the recipient will be none the wiser. I definitely am taking design details to new heights.

Funny how I can always find a way to pick up the needles and continue to find that it helps me to find peace. Peace to you this season of love and remembrance...