They All Are.....

I don't read "news" stories about most of our GOP Trumper representatives in Washington.....some of them just seem supremely unqualified and spent their time getting in front of any possible microphone to grab the attention. I'm not sure how much, if any, actual "peoples' work" they are doing. But the other day MTG was loudly proclaiming Kwannza was a "fake religion created by a psychopath" and I couldn't help it....that "ear worm" just would not leave me alone.

I kept thinking to myself "all religions are created by someone" and I'm sure that many of the people first exposed to the philosophies thought, "This is nuts!" Imagine an actual examination of the facts surrounding the birth of Jesus and the miracles attributed to him. Walking on water? Turning water into wine? Virgin birth? I mean the stories mean a lot to the people who follow the Bible....but they are stories started by someone and passed on to someone else and finally written down and re-written and re-written and still accepted as fact. And I'm sure the foundation of the Muslim religion carries it's own traditional but unproveable facts......stories accepted on faith.

And Judaism?? Same thing...traditions and stories. Hinduism? Ditto. And on and on. From my point of view all religions were started by "someone".

And then I did a little dive into Kwanzza and what it actually is. According to Wikipedia Kwanzza is "an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa, including West and Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966."

So Kwanzaa as a religion....that's a no. Kwanzaa as a celebration....yes. Created by a psychopath....ummmm, no. MTG actiing stupid again...for sure. 

Seems to me another celebration doesn't do anything negative in our world and perhaps, just perhaps brings a little light and understanding to our communities. So Happy Kwanzaa everyone.....and just go home MTG.

Afterwards....

2021 ended on a quite festive note.

We drove to West Bend and took off our coats.

The day spent with family was special indeed.

And this year's decorations featured the best of all trees.

Christmas Eve meant fondue with goodies and cheese.

We dipped beef, bread, broccoli, potatoes etc and ate as much as we pleased!

The traditional gingerbread house was assembled,  just a little smaller this year....

Perhaps more of a shed for a dog, donkey or deer?

An evening of games and then off to bed....

Where visions of computer games, book and new clothes danced in our heads.

Morning arrived and all first headed for caffein...

(Activities shift when no one is under 15!)

Late morning brunch was delicious and belts were tight.

No more meals required....not until night.

Then before we knew it was just early afternoon on Christmas Day.

Gifts were all opened and trash thrown away.

All the big dogs were exhausted, collapsed on the floor.

They both seemed to sense that toys had been opened there would be no more.

So back in the car and we head home to our place....

Unpack the trunk and put each gift in it's new space.

Our little dog soon disappeared....where was he, we wondered, and what did he do?

A bump under the quilt on our bed was the first clue.

Mr. Fenway's Christmas tired him out, he wanted no more...

New toys left behind on the floor.

So holiday 2021 was in the rear view mirror...

Compared to 2020 it was ever so dear!

And the Dreaded Phone Call.....

It happened on a full moon...another special person in my life died. COVID was her tipping point. She lived in Maryland and we first met her and her husband at our marina in Rock Hall. Their sailboat, Thou Swell, was directly across from ours on Blue Dock. We were all still working so sailing adventures were mostly on the weekends. I'll have to say that we soon became fast friends and really enjoyed spending time together. Sometimes it would be at a quiet anchorage up the Wye River or other Chesapeake location, sometimes it was a busy weekend trip to Annapolis or Baltimore. Wherever....we had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughter.

Once we moved to Wisconsin our visits were less frequent, but they came to visit us once or twice and over the years we took RV trips that included a stop in their Chestertown driveway. We enjoyed a Viking River Cruise in Germany one year, and another from Boston to Montreal. They drove down to find us in Greenville, SC during February 2020 and we went east this September to meet them in Lewes, DE. My friend had been waging a brave "battle" with cancer and she did everything from stem cell replacement, to rounds of chemo. She was a part of several clinical trials and she kept her smile and positive attitude for year after year after year. She was a warrior.

She and I would talk on the phone every few weeks or so....our calls would start with a text when I asked "Is this a good time to chat?" If she responded with a thumbs up the call would go from Wisconsin to Maryland and we would catch up.

The phone call came from a mutual friend just the other morning.....she died, her husband at her side, on December 18th.....on the night of a full moon. Both my mother and my mother-in-law died with a full moon to light their way to wherever....and so did my friend. And people wonder why tears come to my eyes when I notice a full moon....it's so beautiful....but it's always like ripping off that bandaid and memories flood back. 

I sent one last text to her phone the morning after she died. I doubt that anyone will ever see it but I just had to put something in writing one more time. "Dear Heart....my last text to you and how I will miss our 'chats'! The world is a quieter place without your laugh and a grayer place without your smile. Love and miss you already. Rest in peace you warrior!"

A text sent to the universe.....who knows....maybe she was on the receiving end.

Again?

We've made it to the 2021 holiday season. Some of the past year actually felt a bit more "normal" especially after we got our vaccine and then our COVID booster shots. But the "cloud" of uncertainty always seemed to be hanging just over the horizon. We remained careful as we went into stores.....masks in place. We went to a few movies....choosing the early show where few others attended and sitting in the back row....masks in place. We took our RV out to visit Wisconsin State Parks during the summer and we even got on a plane (masked) to visit friends in Alaska in August. We ate at a few restaurants but almost always outside in the summer and inside one of the sidewalk "bubbles" as the weather got colder. We spent time with also-vaccinated family and friends. After feeling so isolated for much of 2020, we realized just how much this in-person time meant as we laughed over a game of dominoes, or shared a meal. These were things we took for granted prior to an invisible virus that spread around our world and shook everyone (well almost everyone) out of their everyday worlds.

Preparing to share holidays with family and friends we bought gifts, unpacked holiday attire and searched for those favorite traditional recipes. We attended a Christmas concert, we mailed cards and packages, we decorated our apartment. What fun to look forward to celebrating the holidays again!

But yesterday the drum beat of warnings began to get louder.....the new Omicron variant was much more contagious than the previous two COVID versions......and it was spreading faster. A concert in Australia was considered a super spreader event. Businesses and schools started to shut down again. Broadway lights went out. Hospital wards were filling up and medical staff was exhausted. The warning came that if you were going to be sharing a meal or a day inside with family and friends you should wear masks, open windows for ventilation and maybe....just maybe re-think your plans.

I find myself sort of operating at "half mast"....feeling discouraged and sad and also really furious at all of the US citizens who absolutely refuse this "government interference" and won't get vaccinated. I realize some people, a very small percentage, cannot take the vaccine due to health conditions. However, most of these fools do not have any reason other than "You can't MAKE me!" So the hospitalizations and deaths continue....and in my today-frustration I think that this new variant will continue to thin "their" herd. Maybe someday we'll reach herd immunity just because so many of the deniers are dead. Not a very Christmas-y sentiment....but it is the way I feel.

Bah humbug to everyone who refuses to get the vaccine.

Christmas At the Castle…..

We moved to Eastcastle Place just about two months ago and are pretty well settled in now. Our furniture is all in place, art is on the walls! We’ve had friends come for visits to share meals in our apartment and play games. We had a holiday open house with about twenty of our new fourth floor neighbors and that was really fun. To be honest we already do feel at home here and really love the neighborhood.

We’ve learned that, traditionally, December is “Christmas At the Castle”.There are beautiful decorations everywhere. During the month we enjoyed an amazing Sunday brunch, a silent auction and other fundraising efforts to support the Castle’s staff scholarship fund as well as additional special events. There are big donation boxes at the front desk when people can drop off toy or warm clothing donations….the staff has had to empty the boxes three or four times so far!

Last night really was very special. After dinner we went downstairs to Lindsay Hall for the in-house choir’s Christmas concert. The residents and staff members who make up the choir did a wonderful job and the accompanying musicians were in top form. 

The program included many familiar offerings and the sing-along-section brought back past holidays as the words just moved from my memory to my mouth....my voice wasn't in top form, but it was fun to contribute to the beautiful noise.

One song in particular, "A Grown Up Christmas List" brought tears to my eyes. In today's world the lyrics just really seemed to hit. After the concert I went up to the computer and found other renditions on Youtube. I will probably play it again tomorrow and the day after......it's what I wish for my family, friends and the world. 

"A Grown Up Christmas List".....if only....

Familiar Faces.....New Places....

I really can't remember when Dave and I started our Santa Claus collection. I know we bought a special one each Christmas while we lived in Freeport, Illinois so that was in the early 1980’s. We probably had a few before that but certainly since Freeport our collection has grown. It's the way we “Christmatize” our home. Our houses, the sailboat boat (a few!), apartments and the condo. Each space gave us new places to organize and display our red guys. 

As we decorated this new apartment at Eastcastle it was fun to mix them up, putting new groups together, moving them around. They always add a bright touch to every December, and they always seem to fit. No fireplace mantle anymore means a few more end up on the dining room table or the living room cabinet. 

The bookcase in the TV room was, once again, home to many.  

A small shelf outside our entry door? Perfect opportunity to place one to wave at the neighbors!

All I know is that this collection makes me smile and seems to make us both brighten up as days get a bit colder and the sun sets earlier. 

Good ol' Santa Claus.....our collection….familiar faces in new places. Christmas 2021!

At Least No Cling......

I have no real excuse. It was just a move-too-fast silly mistake. Getting ready for the day this morning I reached under my bathroom sink to get my hairspray. I was listening to a podcast so might have been "slightly" distracted but still....

One spray and I knew I goofed...but at least my hair won't cling to my hat when I go out to walk Fenway.