THE QUIET AFTER ~

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~

We met at a business lunch in Washington, DC.  We married the same year in Georgetown.  Our two children were born in the nation's capital.  And for two decades we worked there, living across the Potomac in northern Virginia ~ until a job opportunity too good to turn down took us to southwestern Michigan.  

He always preferred the sun and warmth, the palm trees and beaches of the South, but he put on his big-boy pants and put up with walking on the frozen iced shores of Lake Michigan [which I loved].

A favorite photo of mine ~ of him.

A favorite photo of his ~ of me.

Life changes, and another opportunity found us leaving those icy shores and moving then to the sunny beaches of Florida that he loved so much.  Raking leaves and shoveling snow was no more, exchanged for gathering fallen palm fronds and annually doing hurricane prep.  Kids who were teens, then off to college followed by building new lives for themselves, as we also built a new life for ourselves.  And over these years, I ~ always a "dog person" had been transformed to a cat lover by him.

Had he stuck around we'd be celebrating his birthday today, as we would have shared our 51st wedding anniversary last month at Thanksgiving.  But those who choose to be together, don't always get to choose when not to be together [yes, I'm not naive, knowing some make that choice for themselves].  For us, the choice was not ours and he left too soon.

I'm seeing a silverware drawer, typically messy, but two spoons nested together.  That was us.  Most of the time anyway.  Sometimes the opening or closing of the drawer causes a fork or a knife to come between those spoons, albeit temporarily, and with a little effort they find their way back together.  Nesting again.

Much more about us, nesting, here.

 

DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS: TO DO LIST

When I got up this morning I wondered what I would do all day long now that the excitement and fun, the sparkle and shine of Christmas was all over.  And it was just another ordinary day.  I had my breakfast, I of course used the litter loo room (probably didn't need to share that, sorry) and even though still dark outside, did do my obligatory check of early morning activity on Charles Street ~ not much I admit.

So, I asked mine Mommy if we were going to take down all the holiday decorations since Christmas was over, she said "oh noes, that doesn't happen until Little Christmas comes on January 6," and of course I got all excited thinking more treats and toys were on the way very soon, until she told me the story of Little Christmas and I realized that wouldn't really happen ... meowz, but I did like the story.  And she added that today was Boxing Day so maybe that's how I could spend today, knowing how much I loved boxes, but now I could play with ones that were even purrty and colorful and still had some wrapping and bows and meowz ... so, meowz again ... I had my To Do List Done!  

Isn't this the most wonderful box?

I think I'll spend the whole day in it.

Then I asked mine Mommy what was on her To Do List for the Day After Christmas and she said, "a few chores, Juney," and I said what else, and she purred "one really big impawtent thing, you see yesterday I took you visiting to share Christmas wishes with your friends, but your Mommy's fingers got tired and her hands got shakey and so I had to keep stopping to rest.  Of course, it was kinda sorta fun for us, right? Cause during those little breaks I'd eat a piece of chocolate and you'd get some dried salmon treats. So all day long we both had lots of treats, way more than on a regular day!"  Oh my, meowz, yes that part was fun!

But mine Mommy, that's not good, cause I didn't get to visit everyfurry.  "I know dear.  So, today, we'll do some chores, like laundry (which no one cares about), and while it's washing we can take you visiting to those we missed yesterday.  And then when we put it in the dryer, we can take you visiting again to others we missed ... and maybe by the time the laundry is done, you will have been able to visit all your friends even though it's the day after Christmas and hopefully they won't mind if you're a little bit late stopping by."  

OK mine Mommy, that sounds good, now I'm going to get back in my box, let me know when you go put the laundry in and when it's time to start our visiting ... I'll be ready, meowz.

Comments are off today.

CHRISTMAS DAY, 2025

82 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS

I am picturing Christmas as a graph, peaking up and down over my 82 years.  With highs and lows.  Not remembering the first, not remembering some in between.  And I sit here thinking of many I can recall, from places on the graph, in no particular order, some a good memory ~ others perhaps not as much.  And I think it may be the same for many.

There is that Christmas morning, up too early.  Babies are crying, drowning out the sounds of holiday music coming from somewhere in the room.  I see other family, the older ones, they sit on the fringes or to the side, often a cane propped beside the chair.  Torn wrappings and ribbons litter the floor, mothers attempt a futile clean up.  Another scolds a child, his cheeks as rosy-red as Santa's, for he has tossed aside a gift he did not like or want and she tells him he must be good, "thank the giver just the same".  But he sulks, just the same.   Christmas chaos, Christmas, version one.

Christmas, version two is usually seen only in a Hallmark movie, I don't have those in my memory bank.  Yet there are so many version two's that are fun and good and full of laughter, still with wrapping and ribbons littered about.  And someone trying to serve orange juice and pastries to hungry kids while the good smells of bacon plus more are drifting from the kitchen and we all know we'll soon trade gift opening for breakfast ~ I treasure those and look back on them often.

And it then Christmas begins to repeat itself up and down that graph, the Yogi Berra "de ja vu all over again".  Those little crying babies have grown to become the scolding mothers, the rosy-red-cheeked boy is putting together Lego's with his own boy and it is I who sit with a cane, to the side in observation of the chaos: the chaos and laughter and love and joy of a new generation, celebrating together as it has been done over and over again in families throughout time.  

The places may change.  The homes may change.  The people in the pictures ~ in my mind and heart ~ yes, they too change.  And one day, Christmas, version three will take place.  I will not be here to see it, but I hope, I pray, and I believe it will come and will be one of love.  As it should be.  For that is what Christmas is all about, that is the gift of this day.  Open your gift and keep it in memory.

 

 

LAST MINUTE DECORATING

Oh dear.  Here it is, the day before Christmas.  I looked here.  I looked there.

Our mine Mommy's little tree had been on the table for a long time now.

Mine Mommy's our holiday cards now hung by the window, 

no longer in the Merry Basket, so we could easily see and enjoy them.

But me?  What about me?  I wasn't really ready for Santy to arrive ... was I?

I had to do something, soon, fast, in a hurry, quickly ...
so I was up at dawn to decorate "my tree", and yes, little JuneToo came to help,
and yes, some lights are purple, and yes, I'm wearing my Ravens hat,
because win-or-lose we always support those we like best,
and yes, it's right here by the window so Santy can see it when he is
flying by tonight ... here I am Santy ... 
here I am,

meowz

UNDER THE MISTLETOE

 

HAPPY TUESDAY

AWWW JUNE

 🎄 AWWW JUNE 🎄

AWWW MONDAY