For the second week in a row, I’m going marveling instead of moaning this Monday morning!
Why? Because our little potted Japanese Maple just outside our door has finally stopped being so stubborn and admitted that it is autumn.
Thank You!
(It’s about time.)
Each December, Robert and I LOVE watching the old animated holiday classics, reminiscing of yesteryear. Last night we pulled out The Muppet Christmas Carol.
My capital “F” Favorite song in the movie is “Bless Us All,” sung by poor, sickly little Robin/Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit crew. It always gets me choked up (until I realize that, as a “grown man,” I am crying over an anthropomorphic, singing, cloth-born frog puppet).
“Bless Us All” is actually a beautiful, prayerful meditation, expressing both gratitude for all we have (the sun, family, each other, etc) as well as supplication for greater good outside of our individual little worlds.
I invite you to take a couple of minutes out of your Saturday for a quick listen …
Muppet Truths …
“No place on earth compares with home.” (Of course, “home” can have various definitions for us.)
“We have so much that we can share with those in need we see around us everywhere.”
“Let us hear the voice of reason singing in the night.” (Oh my goodness, yes.)
The full lyrics …
BLESS US ALL!
For Day Two of the Countdown, we don’t have to travel very far. About 15 minutes away is Savannah‘s Skidaway Island State Park. I love our local park! Terrific hiking trails. Biking. Close to marshes and rivers. A brand new state-of-the-art visitor’s center.
My fam held last year’s/2020 pandemic Thanksgiving at one of Skidaway’s picnic shelters. It was so good to see one another again! Here’s Robert setting up a family pic.
And here’s ex-wife (why on earth isn’t there a more positive, loving term?) Donna and me giving thanks …
… in skinny jeans …
And on another visit, Robert and I enjoyed the trails.
For some reason (therapy session?), I became obsessed with a tiny outhouse.
Goodbye.
Thanksgiving afternoon, after The Big Meal, the lucky thirteen of us in my big ole modern family …
… sort of scattered throughout hostess daughter Amy’s sprawling house, the adults congregating in the den before the obligatory football games, while the children (ages 3-17) did who knows what.
At one point, nine-year-old Madison resurfaced: “I’m bored. Matthew (her twin) and Gabriel (her cousin) won’t stop playing video games.”
“Go outside for a while,” wise Nana suggested.
Checking on her a bit later, I saw a now-spirited Madison and a growing pile of sticks. She loves artsy endeavors—note her self-made turkey hat? … bandana?
And then a bit later (who knows how long, the tryptophan was working on me), Madison asked the adults to “Come see what I made!”
Those adults who were still conscious rambled outside to find … an outdoor pop-up art installation!
“A free-form, aesthetically pleasing amalgamation of found object natural elements representing both land and sea,” I immediately thought upon seeing the piece.
“Huh?!” Madison seemed to think in response, judging from her body posture.
Oops, a few last-minute touches …
As self-proclaimed artistic judge, I found the work dazzlingly daring yet delicate, detailed and deeply thoughtful, while being both dreamlike and dynamic!
“Huh?!” I even asked myself.
The artist was then joined by little sister/helper Isabelle (3) …
The Joy of Grandchildren and … Art!
1. Robert and I enjoyed a big ole modern family Thanksgiving celebration with daughters Amy and Emily (and their fams) and ex-wife/great friend Donna.
And a pic that defines Awkward Family Photo …
I had just made some silly, jokey remark, and grandson Daniel was the only one who thought it was funny. He thought it was REALLY funny.
2. Cranberry sauce. More specifically, MY cranberry sauce. With allspice, brown sugar, fresh squeezed oj and zest.
3. My aging, sometimes achy and imperfect but wonderful body.
{No pic until said imperfect body is perfect. Do not expect body pics in the foreseeable future.}
4. Robert’s sometimes odd but always delicious soups (which he often makes up on the fly). This time, Baby Bok Choy and Shrimp.
5. The countdown to Christmas. We put up our Travel Tree last night, Thanksgiving night—a tradition. What’s a Travel Tree, you ask? It’s a Christmas tree, with each ornament from one of our travels. (More about the Travel Tree on my blog each day during December.)
Happy Last Weekend in November!
What are you thankful for this day?
Some fourteen years ago, when older daughter Amy announced that she was pregnant with our first grandchild, I was both ecstatic and a tad nervously hesitant. A grandfather?! Seriously?! At this stage in my life? Am I even old enough to be a grandfather … officially?!
The old blog post below explains (in excruciating detail) how I ended up being called “Abu” (Abuelo = Grandfather) by that first grandchild Daniel—and all the other ones who came later.
Younger daughter Emily is a whiz at making custom t-shirts, so she recently created these two for Robert and me. Grandson Daniel came up with the idea of calling Robert “Rbu” to go along with my “Abu,” making us a weirdly matching set.
The old Abu post …
And here are a few early pics of Daniel and me …
And Daniel today …
Yes, my favorite word is “Abu.”
Did you know that today is World Kindness Day?! No? I kinda didn’t either. But according to a quick Googling (should that word be capitalized since we’re using it as a kinda generic verb now?), WKD is celebrated every year on November 13.
Here’s my kinda extensive research:
Coincidentally, I snapped this photo the other day of a cool and kinda appropriate-for-today t- shirt.
We CAN be both. Or at least we kinda can.
And here’s a little about how World Kindness Day got started:
If you’re interested, here’s a kinda informative and encouraging article about ways to be kind … to yourself, family, community and the earth:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/13/health/world-kindness-day-2021-acts-wellness/index.html
HAPPY KINDNESS DAY 2021!
LET’S FIND A WAY OR TWO TO BE KINDA TODAY — AND EVERY DAY.
A blog category about finding “art” in unexpected places and situations.
Prepping for dinner last night, I looked down into the kitchen sink, and lo and behold, a work of art materialized!
Sorta pre-Christmasy.
Confession/TIB (Truth In Blogging): We ate the art.
NealEnJoy 