Tuesday, December 21, 2010

What to do?


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Didn’t we just pack away the decorations a few weeks ago? Christmas snuck up and bit me this year.

I live for my Christmas break away from the college. This year, it's sixteen days long and in anticipation of my much-needed time off, I made a list of things to do and to accomplish. To say it’s an ambitious list is an understatement.

Wash and scrub every floor in the house. It’s not a big house so I can get it done in a full day if I stay focused and strong.

Hire the plumber.

Seal the granite.

Clean the bird feeders.

Wash bathroom walls.


There’s more...

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Christmas brings more work that is out of the ordinary, so I can’t expect to accomplish much before the big day. After all, the shopping, wrapping, cooking, and eating needs to be done – the latter in large quantities.

So here I sit, on my fifth day off out of sixteen and have not crossed off anything on my ambitious list. What am I doing now and what will I be doing later today? Blog, gym, Facebook, Shop, Wrap. That’s what.

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I can’t keep myself from admiring the lovely new iMac. To walk by and not stop in for a visit is almost impossible.

And,

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staring at the first orchid of my life and expecting to see it shrivel and die overnight. Let us pray…

It’s a powerful and content feeling to have spotless floors and all that. If I go back to work without having immaculate floors, the entire new year of 2011, in my mind, will be a bust. There will be no hope for me and I will continue to procrastinate and continue to have spotty hardwood and sticky ceramic in the bathroom where the hairspray lands.

I will get it done.

However,

for now, all I want to do is this.

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Enjoy the weather outside of my windowless office that feels like Christmas. If my fingers sting in frigid air and the sun is hidden behind gray clouds, so be it.

Sigh, and invite the Christmas spirit I once had.

Remember old times and welcome the new.

Watch snow fall, like it did a few days ago while uptown with Gina and Elise. It was a great day.

Have more girls’ days like that one.

Do something I love that I haven’t done in a very long time.

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Take my camera along and laugh.

Capture images to share. Good ones. There are none left in my files, a source of grief I feel.

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Hold conversations with a badass Mockingbird who has been terrorizing all others at the feeder stations for over a month. Perhaps I should thank him! I’m saving black oil sunflower seeds but the birds are freezing and are relying on my Autumn buffet.

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He doesn’t miss anything and is always aware of intruders.

Who is the only bird that laughs at his nonsense?

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All of my little Chickies. The Carolina Chickadee is the most tenacious little bird that, without consideration, will go head to head with a flamboyant Mocker.

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Mourning Doves feel threatened and show it. Even the Cardinals and Titmice back off.

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The nuts are mine. The grapes, too.


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You gotta problem, lady? Are you laughing at me? Huh?


******************************************

If I do not visit Mary's View before Christmas Day and the New Year begins,

please know

I wish your

best dreams to come true.

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19 comments:

Cicero Sings said...

I love your pictures and you posts - they are worth waiting for.

You iMac looks wonderful. My iMac is a few years old now but still going strong - and I still love it!

You've some lovely looking Christmas decorations - tasteful! Love the snowman feeder.

Merry Christmas to you and may your dreams come true this next year too!

Susan Ellis said...

A wise pal once said to me, "I bet when I'm on my death bed, thinking my last thought, that thought will NOT be, gee, I wish I'd washed the floor more often!" Love your blog, and your photos - and teh fact that we share the same drawer pulls! May all your Christmas be bright my friend!

Elizabeth said...

Ooh, I love your desk. It looks so cozy, especially with the Mac in the middle.

Maria said...

Ahhh, finally something from Mary. Says Stuffed Tiger and Maria :) Thank you!

KGMom said...

Merry Christmas, happy new year.
I bet you are counting days until a wedding...

The Quacks of Life said...

some nice pics as ever mary

go out with your camera and enjoy life!

A Happy Christmas and new year to you

Robin's Nesting Place said...

The iMac would certainly lure me from scrubbing floors too!

Merry Christmas, Mary. I hope 2011 is a wonderful year for you!

Julie Zickefoose said...

Thank you for this visit inside your home and your heart. I know exactly what you mean about scrubbing before Christmas. I did it last weekend. There's something about having everything in order that helps you to slow down and sit in the rocker, gazing at the Christmas tree lights. It's almost as if we're getting ready for that little child.

xoxo
j.

Jayne said...

Cleaning myself today. :c) Love that iMac and proud, proud for you! Merry Christmas hugs to you my friend.

Rose said...

Oh, Mary, I can certainly relate to your to-do list. Every summer, when school ended, I made a long list of things to finish before the new year began again in late August. Invariably, by Aug. 1, I had less than half done and started feeling depressed about it. Enjoy your time off--watch the birds, have more girls' days out, and enjoy the outdoors. The floors will just get dirty again:) Love your snowman feeder!

Wishing you a relaxing holiday and a very Merry Christmas!

Rusty said...

Ha indeed! And that sassy squirrel... Have a very merry christmas. ATB!

Kerri Farley said...

Merry Christmas Mary!! Life is to short to stress over un-mopped floors ~ Have Fun instead!

Q said...

Merry Christmas!
I saw the Snowman Feeder at Wild Bird when I was there for woodpecker nuts!
I sat outside with the birds today, my Christmas Eve gift to myself. I needed blankets and lots of bundling but it was worth it!
Enjoy your time off and your Mac. (The Apple Store moved all my photos from the Dell to the iMac when I got mine last summer. )
Sherry

Rosemary Lombard said...

What fine photos! I looked at that camera in the store, wondering (though I know most of the credit is to you on its back side!). My Canons don't do at all well at macro, and the older one sometimes goes through purple tantrums--images all purple and white and wildly distorted. First day out I dropped the fancier Canon. Wailing and gnashing! Most of my photos are of turtles in home-based cognitive behavior lab. Rosemary Lombard (Portland area friend of Murr of Murrmurs)

Anonymous said...

Did you have a Mac before? I know you'll love the new one! I have a MacBook Pro never travel without it.

Love the snowman feeder! We are keeping our granddog for a couple of weeks and she loves to chase squirrels. Looks like they've headed for your house.

Merry Christmas, Mary!

PS. I'm still waiting for the orchid I bought in Minneapolis 12 years ago to rebloom.

RuthieJ said...

Awesome photos Mare! I love that little squirrel (even though it's being naughty).
Your new Mac is beautiful! And I'm especially envious of your neat & clean computer desk!
Good luck with your orchid -- it's so lovely.

Angie said...

Ahhhh, at last, a post!!!! :D Hey Mary, I adore that snowman feeder---now where in the world did you find him? :) Love your photos, and miss them when you're away....Happy Holidays

Kathie Brown said...

Merry Christmas Mary! Don't let that Scrooge of a mockingbird keep you from celebrating or feeling joy! Perhaps he needs to be visited by the 3 Christmas ghosts! Hope all is well with you. Enjoy your time off!

Wendy said...

Your bird pics are really cute. And the captions too! I hope you did not spend time scrubbing floors! What a waste. Why not get the Licker Sisters to lick them clean. LOL!
Hope you had a good Christmas.