Remember when you were a kid and hung up a Christmas stocking? Maybe your family still does this. Anyway, sitting down to write this January post, I had lots of little stuff rattling around in my head, kind of like the mini-Snickers bars, the Hot Wheels, the orange found in your stocking when you dumped it out. So, I decided to just rattle around on paper…or on computer, in this case. Here’s a hodge-podge of little things accumulated before 2025 decided to make an appearance… (Lots of little pieces, so make sure to read all the way to the bottom.
One of my fun things is unusual or seasonal socks. I own socks with cardinals, otters, ducks, and chipmunks (can’t wear those around my husband, who has an ongoing battle with chipmunks). Stripes, autumn leaves, edelweiss, lavender sprigs, Shakespeare’s face, and, of course, Green Bay Packer socks. Luckily, I have a bonus daughter and, I suspect, a granddaughter who indulge my craziness. A couple of years ago, I was gifted with socks with the sentiment “I’m Complicated. Thank you.” A second pair, “My Filter Needs to be Replaced,” is hopefully not a critique of something in my psyche that needs to be corrected! But this year, it was Elf socks:
Check ’em out in the Photos tab… Aren’t they cute? And now I’ll match the craziness of our bonus son, who wears unmatched socks and quips, “I have another pair at home just like these.”
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We dog-sat for a few days over the holidays and that made my morning walks…interesting. Watson doesn’t trust cars, so, though he doesn’t lunge at them, he does let me know they should not be sharing the road with him. He doesn’t bark much, but when his patience wears thin, he will tell them, in no uncertain terms, to remove themselves. Which they do, posthaste, being on the move already. I’ve walked him so many times, he now knows the routine: keep the barking to a minimum if you must bark at all and, most important, sit until the car is past. This year, for the first time, I felt a slight tug on the leash and turned to find him sitting already. Sure enough, I peered down the road, and there was a car coming. That kind of response, no command necessary, earned him a well-deserved treat. The funny thing was when he dropped down completely when approached by an Army green jeep. He must be a Navy man…uh, dog.
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Here’s a poem I wrote decades ago about the antics of Congress. It’s not a political poem per se, because it fits family gatherings, book clubs, friends’ groups, anywhere there is a group of people trying to agree on something. Hope you enjoy it.
A Migration of Congress
I swear, Congress in session flew over yesterday,
Honking and carousing and carrying on,
A true Washington conglomeration.
They might have been discussing
The most efficient route to Florida.
I watched them wheel and shift,
Changing leaders to break trail,
Providing moments of recovery for the others.
Much like Congress, they wrangled,
Confabbed, changed direction.
First south, then west, then,
With a complete turnaround, north again.
Yet, generally, the members found the path,
Gradually set the sun in their western quadrant,
And moved with noisy discussion toward their common destination.
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Standing in the kitchen and baking for the holidays insulates one to the wonderful fragrances of those activities. However, going out in the snow to get the mail means a tramp up the driveway, and a rather slow slog back down. The advantage being that, when I enter the kitchen, I am enveloped in aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, all woven among the tendrils of hot apple cider. Oh ecstasy! Which sent me remembering what else I can be surrounded by, but the awareness has been dampened. Candles smelling of pumpkin or butter cookies. Warm apple pie already consumed, but the aroma lingering. Fresh sheets pulled off the line and then snapped out over the bed, releasing miniscule droplets of pure sun. A campfire approached from a distance, the scent reaching out like fingers, conjuring up the taste of s’mores. Can you smell it?
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As I look back over 2024, some of the small things weren’t so small. An old friend moved far away. (Thank God for telephones. And Facetime.) The precarious health of others, who are so gracious and strong in dealing with challenges. Two young men beginning college careers away from home. (Challenges of varying shapes and sizes.) A grandson winning a speed skating competition. A freshman granddaughter with her viola welcomed into the huge high school orchestra. (And how sweet they sound.) These seemingly small things can carry us along on a wave of pride, strength, pure happiness. So, whatever happens in 2025, take time to store away the stocking stuffers of life. Pull them out and rejoice. Another fruitful year.