thanksgiving eve day the gatherings begin now
students scatter to
far flung parents’ homes
neighbors’ drives spill onto streets
christmas lights appear
Note:
Driving
to the store today for last minute supplies for Mom, I notice that my
young downstairs neighbors (students both) are gone. There are a lot of
students living in my neighborhood. Other neighbors driveways are
populated with out-of-state plates.
I’ll head out tonight for Mom’s in Hoover, 15 minutes down I 65, to help her and my sister with food prep for tomorrow.
She was not the last, but I remember her best – my first angel off a Salvation Army angel tree.I was working temporary at Alabama Power as the century wound down.I didn’t have a lot of money. Back then, I limited myself to $25 per sibling and/or sibling family and Mom; and $100 for my daughter who’s lived in a group home since she was 17.
When the tree went up in the lobby, I thought long but not so hard.I plucked that little white cutout angel with the name Brianna, age five on one side and her wish list with sizes on the other from the tree.
I sent a note along with my Christmas cards that year telling the family of my decision.I explained that as we are all grown, there’s nothing I could buy them that they don’t already have or that they couldn't’t buy for themselves.With the exception of my daughter, they all would get a large tin of my special recipe healthy oatmeal cookies that they love.
I took my extra $125 shopping for my angel.I hadn’t had so much fun shopping at Christmas since my daughter was young.She was 30 then.
I bought the necessaries first - the requested undies and socks, and found the one learning toy requested and added a doll just because.Then I looked for the perfect outfit.I already had the high-top suede boots with a pink rose on the ankles, to go with the tiny pink-rose-strewn black cords and top, when I saw those Dorothy red shoes.I had to have them for my angel, and never mind the budget.If they had had my size, I’d have bought a pair for me, too.They were shiny ruby red patent Mary Janes – “…Oh my…”
My camera was broken, so I have no pictures of all the tiny treasures I wrapped the next morning at work.I put them all in a large Parisian’s shopping bag with a ribbon and Briana’s name attached.I was not alone in my giving.Working on the 18th floor that year, I watched as RH and other executives and their assistants went shopping for all the unclaimed angels on the tree and brought in bicycles, tricycles, dolls and more to make sure every angel on our tree had something under their tree that year.
Smiles and laughter were everywhere amid the bustle to get all the presents wrapped and bows tied in time for the Salvation Army pick-up day.People cheerfully came in early, skipped lunches, stayed late, and dug deeper into not-so-deep pockets to get it done along with all their regular work.
It is not the things we give that matter; they are transient. Deepak Chopra said, “…and in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives.” I hope that my Christmas angel, wherever she is today, has as fond a memory of that Christmas as I do, and the abundance of the universe circulating in her life as it is in mine.
Christmas morning.Mom called and reminded me I promised to come to breakfast.Ed (sister’s husband) is cooking his special egg bake on a bed of spinach a la Ed.‘Don’t forget the meat thermometer you promised’ are her final words before hanging up.I throw on jeans and a presentable shirt, add water to my bed-head hair, and fortunately I know that Walgreen’s on Green Springs Hwy is open.I cross my fingers and go tearing in there on the way.The manager smiles and walks me to the item and then walks me back to check me out at the camera counter away from the main line up front with 20 people doing the last minute thing.Whew, I’m on my way.
Right now, I'm caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas in a large family, and perhaps I don't appreciate it as much as I should.I know from experience, that someday I will.Later in 2008, I’ll look back as I have in years past, and this time I’m dashing through will glow brightly along with all the years that came before.
Ah, memory!Thy lens is rose and shows us what we might have missed as we hied us from each precious present.
Below pix from last nights Christmas Eve Gathering.My great niece Kiersten underMom's tree.
Saturday again. Not blogging much, as most of my time is taken up with two things.
1. My Novel - I hit 34,011 words and counting this morning in spite of a slight hangover. I’ll be updating my NaNoWrimo profile later today. I’ll make 50,000 words by midnight of November 30 if not a little more, and then the real work begins – edit, rewrite, flesh out (50,000 words does not a novel make). I’ve gone through this before in 04, 05, 06, but I’ve yet to feel any of my endeavors are ready for primetime except perhaps in my daydreams.
2. Partying – I’ve been making the rounds of the season’s open houses, gallery openings, etc. Thursday, it was Loretta Goodwin’s ‘Tiny Treasures’ show and last night was Maralyn Wilson’s and Naked Art.
Jasmine (cat) is alternately lounging in the old black rocker by the heater or out on the balcony, which I’ve already sheltered against winter with some great clear vinyl from Hobby Lobby. It’s nice to sit here by the double windows at my laptop and occasionally look out across the balcony to the rain of yellow leaves on both sides of the street.
I’ve downloaded some of the photos last night’s opening. At Maralyn Wilson's - A window full of mouthblown glass ornaments, Metal Christmas tree (below)
Entrance to Naked Art Across the street (right).
At Zoe's vintage store: Gorgeous antique evening purse and cat on couch who could care less. (below)
Christmas cards are written, addressed, stamped and ready to go; a
small token inserted in a few of them; will mail on Friday the 30th.
a
long black silk nightgown 
a
Mercedes convertible
