A Hitch In My Get-Along

Did you ever have a "crick" in your neck? Of course, you did. Well, I've got one in my left leg. Makes walking sort of House-like and painful. But I'll give it the usual treatment: Ignore it till it goes away. Only, it's hard to ignore, because sometimes you have to walk.

I've always wanted one of these "brilliant-cut" glass paperweights for my collection. I received this one as one of my birthday presents. If the sun had been shining, I could've got a prettier picture.

So now I'm officially old. The "Old Party."*

"I grow old, I grow old,
I wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled."**

At least I've got pretties to play with and a little bit of money to spend, and my name as a poet is locally renowned with half-a-dozen or so people.***

*Somerset Maugham
**T.S. Eliot
***"The Bohemian Girl," Balfe

The Good, the Bad (Flu) and the Precious

Sister Susan's Soup Night at the Yellow House yesterday was really wonderful. All kinds of good food, two gentlemen at the table (Jesse and Jed), two beautiful nieces (Andy and India), and we three sisters. The bad part is that Susy seemed to get the crud, the flu probably. I'm worried about her.

Jed and I are spending Christmas Day inside, probably. Salads and soups and pie for lunch, if I can get myself together enough to cope.

Two of my favorite dolls in the collection. My dear friend Miriam, and her two lovely girls Christy and Brittany, gave me the big doll, and I made the pink dress and named her Margaret after my cousin Margaret Isbell. The little doll is Charlotte Anne Tommicarr, that I rescued from a junk/antiques shop many years ago, and beautified her a little bit.

We're supposed to get thunderstorms today and tonight. Hope everyone stays safe and dry.

Pictures

Foyer

TV

Fireplace

Coffee Table & Raggedy Sofa

Little Tree With Topper



Kitchen Table

OCD

I'm sort of a "Pure-O." Have been all my life. "If I win this game, everything's going to be all right."

"I just touched something, so I have to wash my hands."

"I must pay my bills, so I'll do it tomorrow."

"I know that if I step on a crack, it won't break my mother's back, but I avoid stepping on cracks, just in case."

"While I've been trying to decide what's best to do, all the time has slipped away."

"I know how to dance, how to jump rope. But if I move a certain way, something bad will happen."

They aren't conscious or vocalized thoughts, just urges and habits and ways of avoiding suffering.

I guess knowing this about myself, and sometimes managing to act anyway, has enabled me to live this long.
*
I started to major in psychology in college, but it scared me so I switched to English.

Spanish Lady

As I went down to Dublin city,
At the hour of twelve at night,
Who should I see but the Spanish Lady,
Washing her feet by candle-light.
First she washed them, then she dried them
Over a fire of amber coals,
In all my life I ne'er did see
A maid so sweet about the soul.

CHORUS:
Whack fol the toora, loora laddi-o
Whack fol the toora loora lay

As I went back through Dublin city
At the hour of half-past eight
Who should I see but the Spanish Lady
Brushing her hair outside the gate.
First she brushed it, then she fluffed it,
In her hand was a silver comb.
In all my life I ne'er did see
A maid so fair since I did roam.

CHORUS

As I came back through Dublin city
As the sun began to set
Who should I see but the Spanish Lady
Catching a moth in a golden net.
When she saw me then she fled me
Lifting her petticoat over her knee
In all my life I ne'er did see
A maid so shy as the Spanish Lady.

CHORUS

I've wandered north and I've wandered south
By Stoneybatter and Patrick's Close
Up and around by the Gloucester Diamond
And back by Napper Tandy's house.
Old age has laid her hand on me
Cold as a fire of ashy coals
But where o where is the Spanish Lady,
Neat and sweet about the soul?

CHORUS

(traditional Dublin version dating from the 19th century)

Hope and Trust

I've lost 30 pounds in the past couple of years, but getting back on the meds and supplements may reverse the process. I can't seem to get enough to eat, and believe me, I'm trying. Before long, I may be a roly-poly, merry fat clown of a person. Yeah.

Children, let me assure you that the world doesn't end on Friday. It doesn't leave enough time for all the other stuff to happen. Something dreadful may happen. What day passes without something dreadful happening? But it won't be the last time.

I've been hoping that the increased intake of nourishment would give me the rush of energy necessary to get the house and myself ready for the Christmas festivities. So far, it hasn't worked. But I've still got a day or two left, and a few cans of Progresso chicken-noodle. So glad that Christmas comes but once a year.

***

Curly Sue and the Nutcrackers are ready.

***

And to top it off, last night I got an order for an enormous "coffee-table" book, that will cost almost as much to ship as the sale price.

Light In the Tunnel

If anybody ever tells you that coffee doesn't help, send them to me for education. Woke up this morning with my usual plodding, hopeless anxiety, although not as bad as usual. After a cup of coffee, I began to feel, "Well, Sista, evathang gonna be awright."

And then my cousin Chris emails me a beautiful video of people singing Christmas carols in a mall. I didn't even know that Chris remembered me or knew I was alive. Chris is my cousin Bill's son, and he looks like Santa Claus or Dale Short, all those dear people with big white beards. Bill was my first cousin once removed, so I guess Chris is my first cousin twice removed, or my third cousin, or just one of God's chillun. Anyway, I love him.

So what I'm going to do today, Lord willing, is to finish straightening up and decorating and so forth.

Devastating News

The school shooting in Connecticut--makes you want to hug every child you see.

Making an Effort

Big Effort





Little Lop-Sided Tree, No Topper

Christmasy Stuff

I long ago picked up an old raggedy tablecloth at a yard sale. I bleached and ironed it, and made the apron that this doll is wearing.

Mama gave me this old doll in the late sixties or early seventies. I named her Sylvia, after my cousin Sylvia Ramey, and because it's my favorite girl's name.

Later on, I made a bunch of Christmas stockings and gave one to almost everybody I knew. I kept these two:

The white one is made from the remains of the tablecloth, and the knit one from an old sweater.

***

Seems like every day, I wear myself out thinking of all the dirty jobs around the house that I should be doing. And I do tackle one of them, every now and then, but I don't last very long at them. It gripes my soul to admit that I'm old, but one has to take 156 years into consideration (I feel twice as old as I'll be on the 27th of this month). So, I guess I'll just muddle along, striking a lick at the house when I feel a modicum of energy, and letting the rest of it wait till some sunny day.

Deck the Floor and Furniture

I've practically wasted the day, pulling out Christmas decorations, untangling garlands

and lights,

and trying to figure out how to hang the wreath on the door (I don't have one of those metal things).

I've found a few of my miniature ornaments,

while the poor little lop-sided tree still stands cold and naked:

There are so many dirtier, more useful jobs that I need to be doing.

While I was hunting my favorite Christmas cards to put in the window on the mantel,

Mo jumped into the box and lay down on top of everything.

Ms. Fixit

A couple of days ago my TV went black. Nothing I tried would get anything on the screen except the channel directory. I phoned Charter, and a nice lady led me through the process of dis-/reconnecting the cable box and a lot of other stuff. I missed Jeopardy, but the service person was very clear in her instructions. When my TV came back on, the lady and I told each other how smart we are.

POP OT DEPOOP OOT

Today I've cleaned out cabinets and toted out trash, until I'm thoroughly that spelled back'ards. Much of what I threw away was "treasure," and some of what I kept ought to be trashed. And may be, next bagful.

James James Morrison's Mother

Today I drove down to the end of the town, and got back in time for tea. I wanted to see what has been built where Uncle Doug's house used to be, and I think the Canterburys'. There's nothing at all there, but Leeds stretches several blocks further on towards the trestle, all kinds of what might be little businesses.

Then I went and bought a Christmas wreath, so now I've got to find something that will enable me to hang it on the door, which is made of glass.

Then I went by Sonics and ordered a bacon cheeseburger. When I got home, in the Sonics bag was a bacon-and-egg sandwich, but by then I didn't care any more.
*
The news says that Voyager I, which left earth in 1977, is now 11 billion miles from the sun. I'll bet that's where Elvis went, and when he gets back, he'll still be middle-aged, and the rest of us will be dust.