Monday, January 16, 2012

Words Out Of The Silence..........

 Sunday. A good day to give the flabby blogging muscles an overdue workout. I've been reading here but uninspired to write. I breathe in, I breathe out, but things are quiet, which [lest the gods think I'm looking for some action] is a very good thing!  Sirs, in case you're listening, I'm fine with that---breathing in and breathing out that is. Slowly. No need to get my pulse racing, or my knickers twisted. I will not complain if this turns out to be a very dull year. A person needs a dull year here and there to balance out the others. What some might find dull, for me will be pleasant. Yes, really! Aren't you glad I'm so easy to please? No need to arrange a big lottery win for me; no cruises required; no big birthday bash, though "many years from now" has finally arrived.  I am on the verge of finding the answers to all those perplexing questions---

"Will you still need me?"

"Will you still feed me?"

"Will you lock the door?"

Meantime, while I breathe, slowly, in and out in anticipation ---

"I can knit a sweater by the fireside, Sunday morning go for a ride,"

"........doing the garden, digging the weeds" and keeping the ship afloat, playing in the sewing room, stirring the soup--- "Who could ask for more?"   So, gentlemen, please note----happy as a clam, just the way I am. Save the drama for someone else!

The grass is brown, the trees are bare, the season of cracked fingers is upon us!  There's a cold glitter to the sunshine----a good day to stay warm inside, to write and catch up. Christmas is already a distant memory. We found a beautiful tree this year, even had it up before Christmas Eve---quick, someone! Take her pulse! She's not herself! Of course I didn't take it down until Little Christmas, while neighbours all around dragged theirs' to the curb on St. Steven's Day....Agh! I can't do that. Never understood why Americans are in such a hurry. After Christmas is the best time, when all the fuss and bother is over and you can sit, of an evening, with your cup of tea, in the soft glow of the Christmas tree lights, and let your  mind wander.

I'm not a great shopper so my Christmas shopping was done, to a large extent, on line. And guess who I met?
Santa Claus himself! Disguised as a young man named Jeremy. Having read about Kendamas on another blog I decided to order some for the grandchildren for Christmas, with an extra thrown in for The Bean, who the grandchildren see as one of them anyway, just a whole lot taller. On-line tracking showed they were delivered three days after I placed my order.

 But not to me.

 Several phone calls and e-mails later, I still had not received my package. And time was running out. Kelly, our mail delivery girl, was apologetic, sure she had delivered the package, but unsure if she had put the key in our box. It left me with a sour taste in my mouth that someone mistakenly received a package, with my name and address and didn't think to bring it to me, or at least return it to the Post Office. Oh,oh...Tidings of comfort and joy.

That's when Santa [aka Jeremy at KendamaUSA] rushed gallantly to the rescue and shipped the appropriate number of Kendamas to their various destinations and got them there in time for Christmas! And didn't charge me another penny. And was so polite and friendly throughout. A scholar and a gentleman---  His mother should be proud!!

One of the nice things about Christmas in Florida is that it's warm enough to barbecue. The OC outdid himself this year and grilled the most delicious roast beef ever. The Prince of Carpathia joined us, along with my sainted sister-in-law. The Girlfriend "took one for the team" as the Bean put it, listening with limpid eyes to the thousandth telling of the threadbare tales......We were sad to have so few of the siblings and co. 'round the table with us but we take what we can get these days....Maybe we'll have better luck next year. We  compensated somewhat by Skyping and phoning points North, South, East and West.

So! Courage my friends! Onward into the New Year,  to face, or embrace whatever it brings.
 
Happy New Year everyone!




15 comments:

Birdydownunder said...

so glad you are still on the planet Molly :)
Your life sounds a bit like mine ..ahhh quiet I love quiet after all those years of children. But I do miss them.
Thanks for reading commendations.
Had to google Kendamas. ummm now who can I buy one for.
keep well and p l e a s e keep posting. We miss you and your quiet life.

persiflage said...

Hi Molly, Happy New Year.Your Christmas sounds very pleasant. It is good to read a true story with a happy ending.
I have not yet googled Kendamas, so am curious.

Thimbleanna said...

It's lovely to see you check in dear Molly! It sounds like you had a nice Christmas - and just think - the advantage to less people around the table is less work. I googled kendamas - what a fun gift! And I'm with you - a quiet year would be welcome - although, I wouldn't turn down a trip to an exotic land!

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

So quiet here I'm almost comatose , probably because the less I have to do , the less I do .
But , perhaps it's good to have a fairly uneventful beginning to the year . By the time Smitonius's garden wall blew down in the latest gales , we were all looking slightly edgy !
I'm off now to investigate Kendamas . I might need some ....

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Oh , Heavens no ! I'd really better not get one .... I might get redfaced and ratty .

Anonymous said...

It's already a good year now that you are blogging again.

Pam said...

Yes... need translation. Kendama? Key? Box?*

Happy New Year, anyway.

* I actually do understand the concept of a post box. I just don't understand: why do Americans have post boxes rather than letter boxes in their doors?

molly said...

Yes Birdy, I'm still on the planet, though if Stephen Hawking is to be believed, we need to look for some other planets to live on! I wouldn't mind too much as long as they have sunshine and trees and beaches---and places to plug in sewing machines and computers----and lots and lots of great reads!

Persi---Yes, Jeremy showed me that the spirit of Christmas is alive and well.

Thimbleanna---if I were your fairy godmother and could grant your wish, which exotic land would you head for?

Smitonius---Oh, go on! Give it a try. But be careful---a crack on the head from that thing could render you unconscious!

LGS---Keep the flattery coming and I might post again tomorrow!

Isabelle---Kendama = Japanese toy designed to show us exactly how un-co-ordinated we are [compared to our grandchildren!]

We have a bank of mailboxes down the road from us, a sort of central mail delivery spot for the neighbourhood. It saves time for the P.O. as all the mail can be delivered at once. The houses are a good bit back from the road and it would take the mailman all day if he had to walk up and down each driveway! When there's a package that won't fit in your letter box the mail person puts it in one of several larger locked boxes the key for which he then puts in your letterbox.....sounds confusing but works fine---most of the time!

Pam said...

Aha. Goodness, how complicated. You live on a large estate. Apologies, Lady Molly. Our postman doesn't get *too* tired walking down our drive...

Actually, the key thing sounds a good idea. Here, if you're out and the postman has a parcel, you get a postcard through the door telling you to go and collect it between 6 am and 11 am (or something), but not within 2 days or later than 10 days, bla bla bla. Alternatively, the more kind- hearted postchaps sometimes put on the note that they've actually left it somewhere (sometimes in the brown (garden waste) wheely bin - to keep it dry). Which is much better, though the bin is deep and I am a shortish person and the scene of me almost falling in, in the attempt to reach the bottom of said bin, may not be very edifying.

I actually Googled Kendama. We would call that a cup and ball, though possibly Kendamas are more sophisticated.

Thank you for the reaching-across-the miles translation.

Pauline said...

Sounds like you're off to a good start - albeit quietly. I agree - "down" years are necessary to the psyche.

I like the tree best after Christmas too and do just what you do - sit and sip and dream.

secret agent woman said...

Happy New Year! I had to look up Kandamas.

I remember my grandmother, at 64, finding that song mightily amusing. To me it sounded like an eternity away. Now, not so much.

Meggie said...

I do wish you a peaceful 2012. Of course excitement of the happy type is always welcome, I am sure.

Ali Honey said...

Well done Jeremy. And all Jeremies.

I too am more than happy to settle for a peaceful uneventful year. No ship sinkings ( ha I speak too soon ) no new diseases, no more earthquakes or diasters of any sort. TOO much to ask I'm sure.

Friko said...

I am late to the blogfest but it was still worth it.
A beautiful, funny and eloquent post. You should write them more often.

ganching said...

I too am hoping for a dull, dull 2012.

(I was imagining a kendama was some class of nightwear - maybe what is known here as a onesie.)