Hibernation Time For Me!

The Holiday Season makes me feel like I should go into hiding and not show up again until everything is over. Or maybe I'll just attempt to ignore this season and pretend nothing is going on. Of course, one can't help notice the decorations in all the stores, the hurried (or worried) look in the shoppers' faces.

Gift counters bulging to the hilt. Extra confections abound this time of the year. I'm starting to receive Christmas Cards already. Thanksgiving haven't come and gone yet.The house needs to be thoroughly cleaned, gifts to be chosen, cookies to be baked, etc. It's definitely time to hide away 'til all of this is over. This is certainly a stressful time for me. I truly like the Holidays, but I don't cope with so much going-ons too well.

I will survive, though. I will make one step at a time. I promise myself not to become overwhelmed this year. Maybe I won't have to hole up in a cave. If I utilize my organizational skills, I'll get everything done, with time to spare. Instead of corking out, I'll make it a point to enjoy the small special things about the Holidays; listening to the beautiful seasonal music, attuning in to the sights, smells, and all things that are so unique and special about the Holiday Season. This year will be the very best yet!

Fall Is Approaching!

Fall is coming at us fast! The wind is blowing around twenty-five miles per hour and is packing quite a chill with it. The gorgeously, colorful leaves are coming off the trees, pronto! I love this time of year. Things sort of come to a screeching halt. The summer activities are over for now and life is in slow motion.

Nature's color show will go on for a few weeks more before winter sets in. Then it's out with the blankets, thermals, coats and sweaters. Hot cereals and apple cider by a roaring fire will become the norm for a couple of months. Much cooking and baking of favorite recipes will take place. The kitchen premeates with wonderful aromas.

This is the perfect time to kick back for awhile, enjoy the season, and do absolutely nothing for a few days before the Holidays arrive. Relax yourself!

Eating Apples

I am now eating apples every day as a healthful addition to my daily regimen. I have heard since childhood that an apple a day helps to keep "the doctor away". Since I experienced a nasty fall in the bathtub almost ten months ago, and I have been out of sorts ever since, I decided to go with eating apples every day. That may be just the boost I'm looking for.

I personally favor the crisp, aromatic Gala Apple. These are a pale pink in color and the taste is pleasing to the palate. I also like the Golden Delicious Apple and the Mountain Apple. The Mountain Apple has a strong resemblence to the Golden Delicious Apple. There is a Red and a Green variety. I prefer the Green one. I have been on this path of eating an apple every day now for about two weeks.

I also like to eat applesauce when I am too lazy to do so much chewing and crunching, but applesauce doesn't have the fiber content of the fresh apples. Apples are such a versatile food. Tarts, pies, streudels, cakes, etc. With the Holidays upon us, I must be so careful to stay faithful to my apple eating regimen. I can't wait to see and feel the results a few months from now. The Victory should be sweet.

Nail Biting

I'm a compulsive nail biter! It has been a lifelong struggle for me to keep teeth from fingernails. I experiment with many methods to break this unwholesome habit for good. I paint my nails constantly; sometimes with two or three different shades of polish. I feel the thick layers of paint will be a deterrant from the biting. It does help, but not nearly enough for me to consider it a victory yet.

Now that I'm more in tune to the actually biting of nails, it has started to become a subconscious act. I sometimes do the bodily damage while I'm asleep! I don't realize that I have bitten off a fingernail; layers of paint and all until I feel the particle between my teeth and I taste the polish in my mouth. What to do now? I probably need to go into deep daily meditation to try and combat the nail biting while in a sleep-state.

Nail biting is definitely a form of self-abuse. Also, it is an infectious spreading habit. Throughout my life, I never gave it much thought. I knew it was an unhealthy and embarrassing habit, but I felt helpless to attempt to conquer it. Now, I'm on the warpath. I won't stop until there's an end to this demeaning habit!

Women Laborers

Women, working out of necessity, performing jobs that were once in an all -male dominated workplace, has, to some degree, been unfairly labeled as lesbians. These rumors can be very embarassing and also damaging. Women in a male dominated workplace have enough injustices to cope with; less pay, no extra gender allowances or priviledges are given to them.

Driving eight wheeler trucks, operating mowing tractors, cranes, to name a few unlikely positions for women. But, they have to live, feed, and shelter themselves and their children. Many of these females are single parents. They are doing all they can to stay afloat. Maybe in some cases, the males feel threatened in regards to their positions.

Truly there's enough work for us all. No need to resort to name-calling pettiness. If some of those same males that place negative labels on female workers would be willing to carry more of their weight at home, and do the right and honorable things for their families, more of the women could become stay-at-home moms.

Porch Gatherings

There isn't many simple pleasures to match sitting on the porch. This is the ultimate porch-sitting weather. We have many pleasant chats on the porch. Sometimes we decide to have our meals out there. Oh, we don't have a fancy porch with all the amenities, but the porch suits our simple needs. I listen to my favorite music out there on the portable DVD/CD player. I also like to watch cartoon features and comedies.

We do bird and squirrel watching; we watch the cars go by, etc. Most of all we relax and enjoy being close to nature. We have pulled off some serious napping while sitting on that porch. At times, I don't realize I had fallen asleep until I awake and stare at the clock, and it becomes obvious that an hour or more has slipped by.

I work crossword puzzles, wordsearch, read, and converse right on that porch. Porch-sitting goes way back as a necessary pleasure. A few generations back, my Mom and her Mom were
prone to utilize the porch practically every day. They peeled bushels of peaches, tomatoes, picked and shelled peas and beans in preparation for canning them. All the while we worked, we sang songs, or if we came across a juicy bit of gossip, well, then, we indulged in that, too.
Porches are fun and also very functional. They do take away some of the wear and tear from the home. When many of our family and friends come by for a visit, we can't get them any farther than the porch. Everyone and everything stops there!

Feeling Some Better

I'm grateful to say I'm feeling some better these days. To say I've been out of gear is an understatement. Extreme headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, etc. I try to exercise faith in our Health System, but when I visit each and every "Specialist" that I even remotely feel should be able to help me to feel better, but they can't, then I definitely lose hope.

Only through prayer, fasting, meditation, proper rest, and hygiene; eating a wholesome diet, and then we can hope for the very best. If you have strength in the body and mind at all, try to stay busy. Complete a small project every day. Do crafts or learn something new. Try something different; off the beaten path. Bake cookies, fudge, or make assorted candies.

Try a hand at sketching. Choose a subject that 's all around such as trees, flowers,birds, cars, etc. Who knows? Inspiration may spring like sunshine bursting forth on a dreary day. If we never put forth the effort, we'll never know what we're capable of. Go for it!