Sunday, December 2, 2018

post a day challenge day 2

Bye Bye November...

Day two of the  post a day in December challenge, here...http://muppin.com/

Mr. Not-Afraid-of-color went on safari to the basement and came back with four boxes of what looked like some Christmas stuff. (they were marked, X-mas)
Hooray! The Christmas cards! Several boxes of cards purchased after some Christmas Past on sale!
yes I have many many more boxes than three!!!

Pretty!

So pretty!

Can I actually get this done?  Does anyone but me send Christmas cards nowadays? Now that the Post Office for some reason can't make ends meet although they have for a very long time, and raised the cost of using their services to the breaking point?

I toyed with the idea of making my own cards... Nah. Too lazy.

I'll be so impressed with me if they get addressed and mailed this year!

Where does the time go?
(pinterest and youtube)

This year I need to write a newsletter since we made a big change. Let my friends know I wasn't ALL talk, but actually made a change.
Don't worry, it won't be the bragging kind... too many disasters befall us for that! We'll be lucky to keep all the balls in the air, all the plates spinning on sticks (you young'uns look up Ed Sullivan), all the poodles brushed and clipped, all the fabric put away.

Day 2  The story continues:

Joy...  Do people really feel Joy?
People who don't live in Hallmark-land?

Most of us can point a finger to a joyful memory.... the first time you got a puppy, or saw your baby's little star hands reaching for your finger, or tasted ice cream with chocolate sauce.

But to live in a constant awareness of joy is beyond most. Even suspect... imagine sitting across from someone in the midst of Joy while on the subway... (heyyyyy what's up with them?)

Happiness could be more in the realm of possibility.
More likely we could aspire to contentment.

Watered down joy.

Or you could go get a new puppy.

No she would do the regular things called for to keep the house running. She was content enough.

Usually.

The holidays are the hardest... when Joy is supposed to be in your Stocking by the mantel. When there is supposed to be a family who loves you and wants to be with you.

When you fit in your skinny jeans and that sequined top without ooozing over the waistband.
Just say no to Christmas cookies???? I don't think so.

Hey!

Christmas cookies on a plate delivered by a neighbor... now that is Joyful!

She remembered the joyful feeling when you find something you thought was lost or gone. 
It was pretty exciting to look in the fridge and found there was one more bottle of yogurt drink, and within it's date too!
All the pretty colors are cheerful right now... and happiness is right up there with Joy.

Gotta take Joy where you find it! 

linking to

all seasons

12 comments:

Julierose said...

Lovely, thought-provoking posting LA. ;)))

I think Holiday Season is tough when you have sustained losses of friends/family; but there are those wonderful memories that evoke joy and gratefulness for having known and loved them....

AND that color RED--that is a joyful color for me...and it's one of my go-to colors for tees and tops--since my hair has turned white I can wear RED--yippee..;)))

I love your flamingoes--they brought me JOY today..as do your postings...warm hugs , Julierose

Norma Schlager said...

I still send Christmas cards, altho not as many as I used to. I also like to get cards, so I better send them.

Heather Pregger said...

I still send Christmas cards. I enjoy writing brief notes to everyone and "catching up" with distant friends and relatives. But you are right, Christmas provokes memories. Happy things to remember, but things that make you sad because they remind you of what/who you are missing. This year will be especially hard.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,

Canada Post is on strike. Here too the Dutch postal service will raise their price again! Christmas cards are lovely!
It's great when joy hit when you least expect it!

sonja said...

JOY is an inside job !!!
i love to use my John Lennon Imagine rainbow forever stamps even on bills and perhaps some Christmas cards as well.

Quiltdivajulie said...

I send cards every year - down by about 25 or so from the peak. I know, I'm a traditionalist, but I like to get cards and that means I need to send some. (and I've been using the Mr. Rogers stamps on EVERYTHING since it came out -- just a gentle breath of kindness for anyone who handles the envelope along the way to its destination).

MissPat said...

I still send Christmas cards, not tons, but some. I remember when my mother used to send hundreds of cards to all the people my father worked with. Postage was probably counted in pennies at the time. I always have a hard time emotionally during the holidays. When my kids were young it was because I'd get all stressed out trying to make everything perfect. Now it's because they all live too far away and I don't get to see them or the grandchildren. I think we all should find joy in everyday things, nature, finding things we thought were lost, finishing projects. Each one needs to define their own joy. Glad some of the Christmas boxes turned p. Looking forward to see more of your decor and a few flamingos, too.
Pat

Jean said...

I sent Christmas cards last year but the years before I didn't do so well. It just depends. I do enjoy getting them and displaying them around my house. Hallmark land, how do we get to live there? Hooray for Christmas cookies as well. Hope you've had a happy weekend!

Ann said...

I'm trying to get my Christmas cards out, too. I should have started earlier. Sigh.

Sara said...

I haven't started my Christmas cards yet either. But maybe sometime this week. And a few years I just didn't get them out until after Christmas. We've already received 4 cards from friends - those overachievers!!

Su-sieee! Mac said...

This morning we had a bit of joy when we remembered half of an ooey-gooey yummy not-so-laden sweet cinnamon roll sat in the refrigerator. A couple months ago we found the Husband's dad's stash of unused Christmas cards. Nice ones, too. We wait until after my birthday to send them out, on years that we do. Will this year be one of them? We shall see.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Love the scarf on the flamingo! Adorable.