Sunday Night

During the part of my life when I was employed, I hated Sunday night. It meant the weekend was over and long days of work stretched ahead. Monday was especially hard with a slew of phone messages stacked up, two days worth of mail waiting to be answered. And as the weekend waned and as Monday approached there were all the undone things at home that I was going to do over the weekend. Laundry, housework, grocery shopping. Even if I was caught up with all that, it was still a depressing time. I never had a job I loved or looked forward to or even remotely enjoyed. My "real" life was outside work. Horses, Grateful Dead Shows, friends. I worked because I needed to eat and pay the rent.

Now I am no longer employed. Because of my age I can say I am "retired" rather than say I'm "unemployed." The fact is I don't have to face that irritating "work" on Monday morning anymore. Money magically appears in my checking account every month. I can sit in my own home in my pajamas and it still comes. I have all day every day to do what I want. But I still hate Sunday night. Old habits die hard.

I'm halfway into a good book on my Kindle, The Litigators by John Grisham. Half watching football on TV and a knitting project almost half finished. It's raining hard and the wind is whipping around. A good night to be inside and not have to worry about dragging out in the morning. Good night, Sunday.

Day After the Day After

Here it is Saturday already. Seems more like Sunday. Watching football on TV and knitting. Civil War here in Oregon. Ducks vs. Beavers. I went to grad school at the UofO so I root for the Ducks. Also root for the Tigers back at Ole Mizzou. My sister went to KU so we had a little rivalry there with the Jayhawks. I don't really care who wins what. I just like to watch the competetiveness.

It's been a nice holiday weekend so far. Wonderful dinner at Andy's on Thanksgiving Day and a nice drive up The Gorge yesterday. Ember said the Falls were "as high as the sky." A quiet day today to recover from the eating spree and the short hike at the Falls.

Speaking of the sky, I just finished reading The Girl Who Fell from the Sky on my Kindle. It is the Everybody Reads selection this year. A great tradition of the Multnomah County Library to get everybody to read the same book at the same time.

As the day draws down it's time to feed the dogs. Then soon I will pull the blinds and settle down on my couch for some more TV and reading and knitting. It seems that is pretty much all I do. And hang out on the computer of course. Social networking.

Black Friday

Did you venture out at 5:00 a.m. or midnight? Did you camp out in front of Best Buy? I would rather be strung up by my thumbs than go into the stores today. Instead my daughter and granddaughter and I drove up The Gorge to Multnomah Falls. Win & Em hiked up to the top of the lower falls while I sat in the Lodge with my Kindle. It was a gorgeous Fall day with sunshine and puffy clouds hanging over the hills.

Yesterday we had a feast at my son Andy's home. He has turned out to be a great cook and the turkey was a sight to behold. All the traditional side dishes and several desserts. Little Levi was the star of the show with his crazy grin and attempts at conversation.

Tonight I am going to watch the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Pioneer Square. Last year there was a bomb threat scare. I think it is wise to avoid large crowds milling about. I'm too short to be able to see what is going on anyway. Best to be safe inside in my own cozy home.

Wild Wednesday

Wild Wednesday in more ways than one. The weather is vicious and causing problems with holiday traffic, power outages, driving rain. Inside the stores it is even more wild with surging crowds shopping for Thanksgiving dinner and Pre-Black-Friday deals. I am content to be out of the fray.

I'm occupying my own living room relaxing on the couch with the three K's. Koffee, Knitting and Kindle. This investment in an electronic reader is my latest reluctant capitulation to the 21st Century's hand-held gadgets. But Border's is gone and the library has long long waiting lists for the books I want to read. Plus in weather in like this I can't be without a good book. So The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is inside the little black thingy. I knit a Kindle Kozy to protect it. Henceforth it will go everywhere with me in my knitting bag.

Tomorrow we'll gather at Andy's for a sumptuous feast, some games, and family time. I'm taking my usual Devilled Eggs. And Creamed Pearl Onions. And the knitting bag mentioned above. Somebody else is cooking the turkey. I plan to sit in the corner and knit (or read). After countless years of doing all the cooking, I am content to hand off this holiday to my son.