Category: ‘Tis the Season

Happy 2017?

Today we ring in a new year, or, as has been pointed out numerous times in the past few days, a human construct that is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. I’ve seen people doing their best to find something about 2016 to celebrate, and there are certainly things for which I am grateful: family, friends, home, and the ability to babble on the internet as much and as often as I want. That last may be in question this year if Our Dear Leadertm decides to crack down on things that hurt his tiny feelings dissent. Let’s hope not.

2017-01-01 11.13.44.jpgThis year it will be the small things that make me happy. Today I met an adorable springer spaniel puppy named Annabelle. She chewed on everything – my fingers, her leash, her person’s shoe. At one point she even grabbed the handle of her leash and walked herself. I think she has the right basic approach. Go for what you want and don’t worry too much about what others think. However, she still needs to learn that it isn’t okay to hurt others along the way. I wish I thought Our Dear Leadertm had learned that lesson in his 70 years of life.

It’s nice to spend some time at the beach with my Dear Husband, even if we’re mostly hanging out watching football. It will be good to get home and see the children before #3 Daughter goes back to college. Yes, the nest is empty at our house, although we are happy to have temporary residents when they need a place to crash. We downsized this past summer, moving from a very Republican neighborhood where we’d lived for 22 years to a very Democratic neighborhood where the neighbors are friendly and appreciate our candidate signs.

I’m not making any resolutions this year. No point in pretending I’ll stick with them. But I do plan to write a lot and walk the dogs as much as I can and snuggle with the cats and try to figure out better ways to cope with chronic pain. I’ll push back at every opportunity when Trump and the Republicans in Congress try to implement policies that will hurt my neighbors, wherever those neighbors may be. That’s a bare minimum, and it may be all I can manage.

What are your plans for 2017?

Seasonal Blues

So..happy post-Thanksgiving. I’ll be honest – I hate this time of year. It’s been stressful since the kids were small, but now it has some terrible associations: my father was diagnosed with lung cancer in November of 2005 and died in January 2007, and my brother died ten months later on Veteran’s Day. Not much to be cheery about.

This season has been full of ups and downs. Our middle daughter organized get out the vote efforts for Hillary Clinton and Democratic candidates in New Hampshire. Oldest daughter and I went up before the election and spent five days canvassing and doing paperwork. It was a real pleasure – having lived exclusively in red states, I’ve never been on the giving or receiving end of canvassing. MD’s area outperformed expectations, and despite the horrific Presidential election result, New Hampshire went blue, with a win for Clinton, a flipped Senate seat, and an all-Democratic and all-female Congressional delegation. We’re really proud of her and the work she did.

I keep looking for the overall silver lining, but it’s really hard to find. I miss the hell out of Danielle Juzan, who wrote here in the past as Del. I still can’t believe she’s gone. Her commentary on this election would have been priceless.

This place is called Birmingham Blues, and I definitely have them. But hiding under the covers isn’t an option in Trumpworld. I’ll shake it off. Resistance is NOT futile.