Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas Eve

It’s a tad after 9am on Christmas Eve in San Antonio, TX, 43° ;[get that degree symbol by holding down your Alt key on your keyboard & type in 0176 – waala, you get °] and raining/misting with a brisk North wind. At least it ain’t WHITE stuff. And to think, I’ve always liked cold & snow. Is this part of getting older? I’ve got contemporary Christmas music playing on my little Citrus Droid dialed to Slacker Radio. Got a fresh pot of coffee and Jeff, Kira, the cats, & I are tucked in cozy & warm inside the Casita. What more could I ask for?

We sold our last two little trees Thursday by 2pm & have just been vegging ever since. We still have more things in the tree tent to take apart. . .but taking it easy seems to be the only thing we want for now. Jeff’s had some very emotional bouts coming to terms with his father’s death (why’d it happen a week before Christmas?), but he’s working thru his grief.

This seems to be more of a thanksgiving time for us than last month was. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving just because it’s more sincere & genuine & much less commercial. We’ve had such a year of changes though that this seems to be a good time for reflection. I’m so happy to be out from under the stress of trying to hold onto a house & all the expenses & physical demands associated with it. We’re living much simpler & easier – on much less material things– but enjoying life a whole lot more. Go figure out THAT equation!

One of my joys in life is reading email & keeping up with all the blogs by full-timers, snowbirds, & Casita owners. I’m always looking for more tips & tricks for getting the most out of our small space & mobile environment. But there’s the question: to Follow, or NOT to FOLLOW.

I’m thinking about the bloggers who enthusiastically track how many followers they have on their blog, & rightfully so, acknowledge all new comers. Many continue to add new blogs to their Blog Roll continuously.

My problem is 1) my blog roll would be overwhelming for anyone to follow, and 2) I refuse to consider my blogging efforts as a personality contest. I SOOOO appreciate my followers, but unless you leave a comment, I don’t feel too much of a connection. It’s still a little disconcerting to receive an email from a total stranger. . .BUT. . .I’ve made some great new friends, received fantastic advice & suggestions, and enjoyed knowing that my meager lifestyle is helpful to others.

Bottom line is that I follow very few blogs officially. I however subscribe to many, many blogs thru Google Reader & have instant access to any  new postings from them. I initially would go to each blog website I followed to see if anything new was posted. PA – LEEEESE. I can loose entire days futzing around on a computer, so I’m always looking for time-saving programs & processes. That’s why Google Reader is my best [computer] friend. For some unknown reason, as talkative as I am in general, I just don’t seem to be able to come up with meaningful comments to leave on all the great blogs I follow though. I’ve never left a negative comment, but when I’ve felt so inclined, I just unsubscribe from that blog thru Google Reader. Easy, peesy.

Tomorrow, we have a season-end manager’s meeting with the owners, staff, & all the other tree-lot managers, followed by a holiday buffet. Could be some interesting comparing of notes! Then it’s the Packer’s game. I don’t even LIKE football – but the games seem to be a perfect time for a nap. I do like the Packers tho simply because the team is OWNED by the fans, not some rich mucky-muck who only thinks in terms of dollars, or ego.

We’re wishing everyone in blogland has their perfect Christmas Day, enjoyed in whatever way works for you, & that you all start the New Year safe & sound. Also hoping to cross paths with lots of you next year.

8 comments:

  1. We here at the Weeb Ranch hope you and your family have a great Christmas and really Happy Holidays, Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

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  2. Like your honesty. Merry Christmas and safe journey.

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  3. Glenda,

    We fully understand what Jeff is experiencing right now. It is natural to have some grief and even to feel that one has never done enough for the one who has passed. I'm sure that he will live with that one as well, if he hasn't already.

    I'm still rattling things through my mind about the season as we will be at relatives tomorrow, so my Christmas post will have to be done tonight.

    That said, here are the Miller's (Jo and Terry) wishing the both of you a Merry Christmas. God bless the both of you.

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  4. There were years when I refused to read anyone's blog, assuming that all blogs would be boring. What I discovered is that it is true, of course some blogs are boring. Then there are some that not only hold my interest but are fascinating and leave me wanting more and looking forward to the next post.

    Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I was going to call my blog 'Casita Adventures' until I found that you were way ahead of me. We'll be looking forward to your next post.

    Mike Leonard

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  5. I don't know why I'm having such a difficult time posting on your blog. This is my third try. I just want to say thank you for sharing your travels and your thoughts here. I enjoy your blog and look forward to reading new posts. And, Merry Christmas!

    Mike Leonard

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  6. Losing a parent is tough at any age and having it around a holiday can be especially traumatic. My heart goes out to him. I have lost both parents, one when I was young and one as an adult and both were tough times but now I choose to remember the good times and be thankful for the time I had with them. I totally understand about the blogs. The ones I list are only a fraction of the ones I read and I try to change the list regularly but don't always get that done. I have met so many good and fun people through the blogs that I actually get excited to get email from strangers now because soon enough they may not be strangers. Enjoy your time off and relax, after our work at Amazon, I know that is exactly what we have planned for the month of January. Merry Christmas.

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  7. Glad that the stress has eased! You are still my blogging mentor. Now I must go figure out Google reader.
    We hope to be heading toward Texas soon. Sure hope I Don't
    see any of that white stuff!

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  8. Merry Christmas to all of you. As for 'following' blogs, I don't sign up. Yep, sometimes it seems like it can turn into a popularity thing. I think that I'd feel way too much pressure if I saw my 'followers' keep growing. I don't post any list of my followers, and haven't really even checked if I have any. But, I do stop by on several blogs several times a week even if I don't comment all the time.

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