This time of year brings back a flood of recent, sad memories. I am mentally girding myself for the season. Mostly, I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing what I always do – workout, swim, walk the dogs, vacuum, call friends, write blog posts, drum and paint.
This year, I’ve decided I am not going to do an emotional eating binge like I did before. There will be no ice cream, nuts and candy bar gorging like I did the last two years because it just wrecks me for days. I’ve haven’t binged in 6 months or so. It’s no longer worth the after-effects for me.
I’ll be glad once Christmas is over and I can settle back into my normal routine 100%.
One thing I did today was buy some new mittens. I have two pairs of gloves and 1 pair of mittens so I hesitated to buy more. But the gloves aren’t warm enough and the mittens are really best for sub-20 degree weather. They are like wearing lobster claws on my hands.
So I bit the bullet and forked out $59 for a pair of Outdoor Research down mittens. I hope they are good. But if not, I’ll send them right back. (Note – I sent them back after a week. They are warm but the fingers are made for Lurch. I don’t need another pair of mittens that are even longer than the ones I own).
I do like the more relaxed pace and friendliness that comes this time of year. I like the decorations, the smells and even seeing families get together.
I once had that. But that chapter of my life is over. The chapter I’m in today is a solo one. Maybe future chapters will be different.
We shall see.
Below are some of my recent paintings. Some I really like. Others not so much. They can’t all be gems.
