Aftermath

The presents were so pretty under my tiny tree. Some of the packages were actually taller than the tree, but fortunately they were piled up on the floor below the cabinet that I set the tree on. Somehow the tree looked more magical with all those presents below it.

Now the remnants of those presents remain. I am always slow to remove them all to their appropriate places. I love to see them there as long as possible, until I need them, or it’s finally New Year’s Day and time to put away the holiday decorations. Sigh.

I’m not finished with Christmas quite yet, though. Mara just sent an email today stating my presents had just gone out in the mail. My parents found something under their tree that forgot to find its way south with the other packages they sent. I’m guessing that’s what is waiting for me at the FedEx office. I’ll pick it up after work tomorrow and then I’ll know for sure.

I’ve already used the gift cards and money that were sent. I’m always amazed at how fast monetary presents disappear. Shouldn’t I be able to stuff them away and save them for the rain? Oh, wait, this is Central Florida. It rains all the time here… My bad.

Christmas Day, Yaw and I both phoned our far-away loved ones and caught up on current events while extending our Merry Christmasses. The fur bellies scarfed their Christmas canned food and looked at me as if asking, “Where is the rest?” I told them the rest is the bag of balls, mice, feathers and other kitty-size toys I bought. I opened the bag and took out four or five small toys and tossed them to the waiting felines. It took very little time for the toys to disappear under door cracks, couches, fridge. More looks of askance and I told them they’d have to wait until I got up the guts to move furniture around before they’d get those toys back. I went back to playing with them with the laser light someone gave me a while back.

Deb, Mike and Ian came over Christmas Eve to exchange presents and spend a few minutes visiting. I tried to get Mr. Bond to climb the wall like he usually does when I take out the laser light, but he never really got the altitude he can reach. He did Christmas Day though. I feel certain it was related to the catnip in some of the toys.

Tonight when I got home from work, Barb across the way stepped outside and got my attention. She had something in her hand but it was dark and I couldn’t make it out. When I reached her, she handed me two small stockings that were stuffed with something and sewed shut. She said they were for my babies and to enjoy cleaning it up when they get done. I thanked her and made my way upstairs, Yaw following behind me. When I got in the house, I dropped the stockings on the floor and went to the kitchen to put down food before the fur bellies could raise a fuss. I needn’t have rushed. I have finally found out how to get into the house and take my time feeding the cats. Just put something with catnip in it down on the floor and go about your business. I should have thought of it years ago—the aggravation and ankle damage I could have saved myself. Oy!

Presents of Mind

Now That's More Christmassy

Ok, I had to get rid of all that flippin' pink. Ew. And this fits the season better, anyway.

A side note on the mailing of the Christmas packages... When I went back to the post office and got in the end of the lo-o-o-ong line, an employee came through asking if anyone was trying to mail packages using a credit card. I raised my hand.

She guided me back over to the same machine that told me "NO!" the day before. I said, "I tried this yesterday and the machine said I had to go through the line because the label won't all fit the face of my package."

"Trust me," she said with a smile, and took my box over to the machine. She put my package on the scale, pushed the same buttons I'd pushed the day before, except for one apparently, and took the resulting label, peeled it, set the bottom to rest just above the "To" address of my package and folded the part that didn't fit right up over the top of the box. That's exactly what I wanted to try the first time, but I was afraid my package would be lost in limbo until time stopped and the presents would be both ruined and forgotten. Go figure.

Holiday Tidings

Today I received a package in the mail. I also tried to mail a package. Actually, I tried to mail two packages but only succeeded in sending one. But that's a different story.

I got a box in the mail from my Mom. I'm sure it's from my Dad, too, but the address label only has Mom's name on it. Anyway, it's the first present of the year, and my tiny little iridescent Mylar tree looks much happier now that it's not all alone in the living room. There are some other presents under the tree, but they are all out-going; which is very nice, because it means there are people here that I care about enough to have presents for them under my tree. And for the first time in a very long time, I am making a stocking for someone other than my fur bellies--another very nice change.

I had my Christmas Party with the McD's gang tonight. On one side I was very happy to see many of my co-workers without uniforms and hats. Who knew they all had such great hair? On the other side, I wished very deeply we'd had it somewhere other than the McD's playplace, with all the rambunctious kiddies in tow. Not that I have anything against rambunctious kiddies, but more than 2 or 3 in a confined space is enough to split my brain into at least a dozen tiny pieces. It was still nice though. The kids were all obviously having a great time. There was good food to eat, and a nice gift exchange, and I got to meet some of the folks who work during the week, or only at night, when I don't see them.

Today I was trying to mail a present to Mara and Rich. I managed to mail her birthday present (from May), but since I went to the machine, and it is unable to adjust itself for a non-standard request, I couldn’t mail the Christmas presents because the label wouldn't fit on the face of the box. I'll have to work on that. I guess that one will be late, too... Have to get it out soon, though. Home made trail mix won't taste yummy anymore if it doesn't get there quickly.

Yaw is off for a few days at the beginning of this week. He comes back Thursday, just in time for his birthday. I've got sauce for Karen-sagna cooking on the stove. I've warned him that this is NOT a healthy meal and that he should plan on fasting up until I feed it to him because he will want plenty of it. The man's waste is smaller than my thigh, and you go to a restaurant with him and watch him take 2/3 of the meal home. But put home made food in front of him, and just stand back. It's an amazing sight.

Well, the cats are lulling me into a late-evening stupor, and I've forgotten the rest of what was on my mind, so I think I shall finish the last two fingers of my beer and head off to bed. Early day tomorrow, battling it out with the line at the post office since a human will have to take my package in. Silly limitations. Oh well.

Christmas Decorations

Add to the list of Christmas decorations from Florida that leave me floored: yard ornament PINK FLAMINGOS IN CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Up North, they stick to sleighs, deer, Santa or Frosty... the wire frame of the character lit up with Christmas lights. In Florida, you can find those things, but you can also find pink flamingos, palm trees, surf boards. It's a very interesting cultural difference.

I'm still not used to it.

In my apartment complex, the management is holding a Christmas decorating contest for $25, $35, or $50 off your rent. I look around my own little section and see two other apartments have entered the spirit of the season.

Across the way, Barb and Fred have hung icicle lights from the bottom of the walkway to the second floor. They've also decorated the little patch of lawn in front of their place with numerous yard ornaments and found every inch of gaudy garland left over from Christmases past and strung it around and through everything in reach. I've noticed that since they decorated, they have been afraid to pull all the way forward in their parking space. Good thing I back into mine or we'd be having bumper wars every morning. Although their decorations are quite handy when I leave early for McD’s or come in late.

Below me, Mike and Johanna have gone for a more natural look, sticking to pine tree and berry garlands, massed in equal amounts and strung with lights. Their decorations aren't quite so bright and it's usually dark when I leave and come home, so I haven't seen if there is more hiding among the remaining plastic and silk flowers still out from the summer. I did note that they've wrapped their patio table in Christmas paper. That's different.

I decorated for myself and only myself. If the complex likes it and awards me, that’s great. If not, it’s still OK because I didn't spend any money that I wouldn't have spent anyway. I have only a few small, unlit decorations out. I have my wreath that I put so much thought into last year, strung on the door with the pretty purple and pewter Christmas bells with the Celtic knot at the top. In my front window, I have a silver reindeer with a pail of pine cones on one side, and the gold sleigh that Kat and Rob gave me a few years ago on the other side. On my patio table (really a home made bed-side book stand bought at a yard sale), I have a tiny white tinsel tree dotted with red bell ornaments and topped with a little plastic robin with real feathers that I found at K-Mart. I hope none of the neighborhood cats take a liking to that. It's really quite pretty there. So, none of my decorations will scream at anyone from the roadside, but they are there, and they are things that make me feel Christmassy inside. And when you get down to it, that's really all that matters, isn't it?

Why do I ask this question? Because the other day, on my way out to work, Barb stopped me and said “Aren’t you going to decorate? They’re having a contest, you know.” And I smiled, replied, “I have decorated,” and left for work.

Raniy Palm Tree House

Sitting on the sofa, ignoring an apartment desperate to be cleaned, enjoying the company of Yaw and the fur bellies, I hear the familiar pit-pat sound of rain outside.

I peel myself off the couch and step out on the walkway to observe.

Pit-pit-pat-pat-pat. Tippa-tap-pat.

The sky is brightened by the light reflected from here below. It appears to be a light grey with hints of lavender. The air is cool and soft breezes are stirred by the rain as it comes down from the sky and touches on the branches of the oaks, the blades of the palm fronds. Somehow the trunks of the palm trees are protected from the steady streams of water, as is my place on the walkway where I stand safely dry and watch the cloud shapes drift lazily through the atmosphere until pushed into frenzied activity by a stray breeze.

I listen to the silence of the world around me as it is softened by the blanketing rain. I hear cars passing on the wet street. Whoosh, whoosh, shhhhh.

A stray rain drop is blown off a palm blade and onto my arm and I suddenly am reminded that the air is cool out here and there is a warm sofa, two fur bellies and a Yaw inside. I suddenly miss those things and step back inside to return to hearing the muted pit-pat sounds through my open window.

The palm tree house remains my shelter in the storm. Let the world rage around me. I will remain here where there is comfort and safety until forced to join the battle.

NASA at Night

OK, I wasn't really at NASA; I was just across the Indian River Lagoon from it, though. A crisp non-Florida-like evening with a clear sky and an excellent view of Orion was set there just for me while I stood in a park (which was technically closed) with friends and watched the shuttle light up the night like a miniature sunrise.

It was absolutely beautiful. It started with a small spark of light at the base of the shuttle, so small you weren't really sure you were seeing it. Then, quickly expanding, it became a brilliant candle sitting on a bed of bright pink, orange, and blue-limned cotton balls. Finally it was a streak of orange surrounded by blue-grey skies and it's reflection on the river was just like all those gorgeous sunrises I used to watch from my balcony in the towers.

There were cheers of joy and "Oh's" of appreciation. Deb turned to Mike and thanked him for a shuttle launch for her birthday party. I leaned over Yaw's shoulder to see what it looked like on his tiny camcorder. Ian and Holden chased each other around Deb and Mike and the crowd in general celebrated together and separately.

We all watched the shuttle make its way up into the night, slowly becoming a smaller puff-ball of light, and finally looking like a super-brilliant star traveling with purpose to some unknown destination.

I love Florida. It's very good for my imagination.

What is this blog?

And why is it so darn pink?