I was grocery shopping with my mother (92) not so long ago and, as we inched up the line towards the cashier, I started looking at the contents of everyone's carts. Three out of four held 95% processed, packaged foods. The woman in front of us plopped an endless number of canned, boxed and frozen processed food-like things. My mother had fresh romaine, fruit, whole grain bread, vegetables. No wonder she is 92 and sharp as a tack.
I started making The List for 2016 and realized that more than half of the items were carried over from 2015. Sigh. One of the things on the list that was moved to the top was to Plan the Garden. This year was a hodge-podge of reckless abandonment, when it came to planting. And it showed. I have already pulled out the binder with my graph paper and I am determined to have it planned no later than the end of February. Let's hope my focus can hold.
I've also started to think of my resolutions for 2016 and this year I've only got three. More about those later.
More and more of the people I know are stepping away from the commercial side of the holidays. I think this may be because we are getting to the age where we have more than we need and don't want more "things". Even my friends with grandchildren are backing off - because their parents overload them and why over-overload them? There is nothing more off-putting than watching children rip through piles of gifts, glancing at them and flinging them aside, looking for something better. Gah.
This year the only overloaded residents of the Little Lucky Farm are four-footed/hoofed. Santa Jane once again made all their dreams come true. I came home from meeting a friend for a drink to find a big box on my doorstep. This sort of threw me because it was Sunday and it wasn't there yesterday, which I thought was Saturday, but now I wasn't sure. It was a USPS box, so - are they now delivering on Sunday? Are these the same people who will not cross the road to deliver a package and sit in their car, honking their horn until I am roused to don rain gear and trudge out to get it?
Anyhoo, after I dragged the box in and let the dogs out, I put on the kettle and busied myself with some of the things I ought to have done two weeks ago... When I let the dogs in, I ignored them for a few minutes until I heard the sound of cardboard - which should not make a sound. Sure enough, Miss "Nothing Escapes My Nose" Lovey had sunk her fangs in the box and was dragging it off to a quiet corner. I quickly opened it and stored the goodies. This morning, I had to count my fingers after dolling out the salmon treats. Even the sheep and llama (Santa Jane is good to ALL the LLF critters - including me) got special treats. Norman and Apria almost trampled the fence line in order to get theirs first.
I was hoping for snow for Christmas, but it seems we will be getting spring. In case I continue in the sloth-like manner (vis a vis posting), I will wish the merriest of Christmases to you all now! If I manage to drag my carcass to the computer before The Day, I will wish you even more merriment!
11 comments:
There is nothing I would like more than a surprise box of salmon at my door. The kind of gift giving that really means something. Wishing you a peaceful, cozy and content Christmas.
So glad you have a Santa Jane to don you & your dependents lots of treats. We have gotten hubby's family to stop Christmas gifts except for the niece & I'm working on my side of the family. My Dad is just a stickler for exchanging though, even though he just cheats w/gift cards. I would much rather give to a needy family or charity but they won't budge. At least it's much less than in years past. Merry Christmas to you & your family.
I just love to look at other people's carts in the store--what an eye opener. No wonder this country spends a fortune on healthcare. But hey-don't tell them how to eat!
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
As for New Year's resolutions, I have but one--RELAX. Hasn't happened yet.......................
Merry Christmas to you as well. I too have been thinking about my garden for next year. Winter has just begun and am already gardening in my head. Good luck with your plans.
Gosh, I haven't even THOUGHT about New Year's resolutions yet. My mind has been so fixated on trying really, really hard to take the months of January and February OFF for nothing but what I want to do. (Within reason and still having to tend to some homemaking duties, of course.) Hey, maybe I'm with Sue (above) and taking the two months off is my resolution!
Yes, the stuff you see in grocery carts cannot at times even be called food for the total lack of nutrition it contains. But what always makes me wonder is that single roll of paper toweling, or one box of kleenex, or a 4-pack of toilet paper. What would these people do if the grocery trucks stopped delivering for the store shelves? Could happen . . .
You (and your critters) are very lucky to have that nice Santa Jane in your lives. Whadda thoughtful gal!
While I was tempted to taste it, I prefer mine on ice and fresh from Alaska! I wish you the very same, Susan. Looking forward to your library adventures in 2016!
It took years to whip my family into shape... :) Stick with it - you can wear them down, or they will come to their senses. There is just too much 'stuff' in Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
If you find the secret to relaxing, you MUST tell us! I hope you get plenty of down time this holiday season, Sue.
Merry Christmas! This is the earliest I have been raring to garden -- I don't know if it's because the weather is so spring-ish or my garden was so awful last year. I can't wait to get back in that soil.
Even I get goosebumps at the idea of no more toilet paper! However, I would live. So, do you think you will make it through two months, spending most of your time in your glorious quilting room? Hmmm?
Susan,
I had to drag myself to the grocery store yesterday just for sweet potatoes (I didn't grown Sweet Potatoes this past season). My sister wanted sweet potatoes to go with her Christmas dinner. I told her she should grow her own, and then she wouldn't have any worries on finding nice looking sweet potatoes. Apparently sweet potatoes are nasty looking where she lives. I'll be trucking potatoes down her way for the Christmas. I couldn't get over all the junk food piled in grocery carts.
I've sat down with my seed inventory, and several seed magazines to determine what needs ordering, and how I'm going to plant my garden come spring.
Nothing beats a nice surprise sitting at your front door of a package from family. Our surprise was an unexpected package sitting at our door from my husbands ex-wife.
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