How I'm Having a Thoughtful, Meaningful and (somewhat) Pain-free Christmas in 2013

After most of 2013 passing by rather quickly-it is now December. The Holidays are always not quite a happy time for me and my family. We long to be together. But we all live in different parts of the United States. Busy jobs and the threat of bad weather keep us from travelling during the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays.

This year seems to have been especially bad given that between the two of us Ernie and I had no less and really more than nine doctor appointments during the month of December. Most of them were mine. Those appointments and the fact that my work has been busy since my co-worker is out on medical leave probably until February and our part-timer hasn't been at work either for a while due to a fall, leaving me to be the main person doing Data Entry. December is usually a busy time for LHM as we receive many year end donations. And for Ernie, who is a delivery driver for Walter Knoll Florist, the holidays bring lots of extra deliveries and orders.

Usually our main Christmas celebration these days centers around preparing and singing in the Church Choir. This year, late nights and a snowstorm caused us to miss the final rehearsal for our Christmas Cantata. Not what we wanted to do, but work schedules and the weather interfered. On the day of the Cantata, I decided to help Ernie out by shovelling snow-what was I thinking? I'm not used to lifting heavy snow and  it wasn't too long before my already rheumatoid arthritic back started hurting. No way I could even go listen to the Cantata. Disappointment.

Another week or so goes by. Schedules remain busy. It's Thursday, December 19. Ernie gets off work late and his shoulder is really paining him, so we miss our last choir rehearsal before Christmas Eve. We decide (and our Choir Director agreed) that since we haven't practiced the music there is no way we can sing in the Choir for Christmas Eve. This is especially true since our Christmas Eve service will be different this year. It's going to be earlier, 8pm instead of 10:30 or 11pm. This year there will be no 4:30pm children's service. We'll all celebrate together with a Service of Lessons and Carols. This means lots of singing !! of course we will attend the service and sit in the Congregation. Also, I've been chosen to be one of the Readers.

With a lot of appointments and a lot of late nights and not feeling so good at times, it's the 2nd year in a row that I have not sent Christmas Cards. Maybe I'll switch to a Christmas email. It's also the 2nd year that I haven't done Christmas gift shopping. Also, this year we decided not to put up our big tree since we have our dog Swee Dee. She is very curious and Ernie and I can just imagine her pulling ornaments off the tree, running away with the tree skirt, etc. In its place we have brought out a small sports-themed tree and a miniature Spode tree which are usually a part of our decorations. We didn't forget the Nativity scene from the Philippines-although we had to find a new, higher place for it-a length of red ribbon wrapped around the base makes it look more festive.

This Advent Christmas Season I have spent reading devotions, making use of a musical Advent Calendar (an app on my cell phone), thinking of Christmases past and remembering them sweetly and not fretting about what wasn't done this year. It feels good to not be caught up in all the secular hoopla of Christmas. Who needs that?

It's now Christmas Eve. What's done is done. I will spend the day resting up and doing a few last minute things and having my own kind of fun before the Christmas Eve Service.

To all of you have a very Merry Christmas where you can 

Think, Live and Be Pain-Free !!!

Until next time....


Joy

Is it Time For a Teary Good-bye ?

My husband and I both grew up with dogs. So it just made sense that when we got married a dog would join us too Our first dog was a black lab/spaniel mix which we purchased for a mere $7.00 at the Soulard Farmer's Market pet shop. We named her Star in honor of the white star shaped patch on the throat of her other wise all black body. She lived a long and happy life with us, although she was known to be a bit on the wild side at times. A memory that sticks out from Star is the day that she discovered that our kitchen floor was only glued down in the corners and chewed away at half of it. We got a new kitchen floor, not really in our plans. Star just loved to eat oranges and grapefruit. This truly awed me as I don't think of fruit as being part of a dog's regular diet. Every time I was eating oranges or grapefruit, she would beg intensely for a piece until I had to give in and share one with her. Sadly, Star died in the backseat of our car on Valentine's Day night 2000 and the way to the Animal Emergency clinic.

 This post is actually a tribute to our second dog, Honey. I remember when you first came into our lives. After 2 days without a dog we decided that it was time for another one . Having both grown up with a dog in the house and part of the family,  we couldn't bear the silence and emptiness of our house without a dog. So we headed to all the shelters we knew. Honey endeared herself to us from the start. As if they knew we would probably make a home for one of them, the shelter dogs looked at us longingly as we walked up and down the aisles looking at each dog to determine if he or she would fit into our lifestyle and requirements. We knew we wanted an older dog, one that had already been housebroken. Honey must have known that too because while the other dogs just settled back down after we walked past them, Honey let us know that we should not just walk away from her by barking at us. Her bark and the fact that she was a beautiful honey-colored sheltie, lab and chow chow mix who has one and one half years old and housebroken made us decide to make room for her in our life.

We had many wonderful years with Honey. Just like Star she never ceased to amaze and entertain us with her antics. She was the only dog I've ever known that would rather go for a ride in the car than go for a walk on a leash. Somehow she knew when we were going somewhere and would insist that she come along-which she did on many occasions. One occasion which we still laugh about every once in a while is a day when my husband Ernie made a trip to Home Depot for garden plants. As was normal he took Honey with him. He drove to Home Depot, leaving Honey in the car , windows rolled down for comfort. He walked through the garden section at Home Depot looking for bedding plants. All of a sudden he saw a dog running around near the area. Then he realized that it was Honey. The desire to be with him was so strong that she had jumped out of the half-way rolled down car window to join Ernie in his search for plants.

 When we first got Honey she had no idea how to play with toys. We spent a lot of time teaching her and suddenly she would come to us with a toy in her mouth, insisting that is was playtime. We made it a tradition to include a new toy for Honey as we did our holiday or souvenir shopping. She loved to cuddle or keep watch with us on our queen size bed. Eventually she lost the ability to get up on the bed and created a new space on the floor next to Ernie's side of the bed. But a loud thunderstorm would find her on my side, away from the window that was on Ernie's side and the threat of thunder and lightening. She also loved to play in the snow. If was fun to watch her frolic through the snow making a trail with here nose and making occasional snow angels.

As we all do in time, Honey grew older. She started to sleep more and play less. She became unable to wait more than a few hours for a trip outside to relieve herself. She began to have trouble walking and eventually could no longer walk without much effort for her and assistance on our part. We started to wonder, would today be her last day or tomorrow or next week? Just as we were sure that Honey was about to say good-bye, she would show signs of the younger dog who had been full of life.

How do you say goodbye to a best friend, companion, guardian, comedian and all around pal? I don't know but I do know that the day is coming soon when we will have to say goodbye.

It is known fact that dogs can be a calming presence in our life. They can lower our blood pressure, relieve our pain-both physical and emotional and just all around make us happy.

Do you have a dog that has shared your life ? I would love to hear his or her story. Feel free to write a story in the comment box below. 

Until next time,

Think, Live and Be Pain-Free - with a dog at your side  !!

Joy:)