It’s nearly
Christmas, and I missed it last year on my blog. I said it was because I was
just too busy, but as experienced by many people around the world during the
holidays, I get blue during winter and the holidays. I think it’s the lack of
sunshine for one. I just can’t function without it. But then there is the
god-awful job market. It’s been nearly a year and I still haven’t found a
replacement job. But I really think it’s because my father died 22 days before
Christmas from a terminal illness the year I turned 14. I think it still affects my
ability in some way to really get excited about Christmas. I am making the
decision to pull myself up by my bootstraps and get out of this nearly 6 month
(ughhh) writing funk I’ve been in.
So I’ve been listening to my
self-prescribed daily dose of Christmas music at maximum volume, and at times,
singing along. I put up the Christmas tree and decorations the weekend after
Thanksgiving (to the very loud protest of my husband, the Grinch) and this week
I start baking. I made cranberry chutney
for neighbor gifts during Thanksgiving, but it’s the sweets that really make
the season. The problem is sweets really give me a tummy ache and sometimes a
toothache so I lean toward the lesser sweet items during the year, but
Christmas calls for pulling out the big guns - Paula Deans of butter and pounds
of sugar. Today Shortbread made the top of the Must-Make List. I love
shortbread. So sweet and buttery and smooth and tender – especially with a hot
cup of coffee…excuse me for a minute while I go top off my cup.
