peaks and valleys

With me it's always been peaks and valleys, highs and lows. Today I feel my spirit has lifted somewhat. I have already hemmed a pair of gray flannel pants that I want to wear to a family get-together on Saturday, washed, dried and put away a load of dark clothes and planted an amaryllis. I can't handle Christmas decorations yet so I'm telling myself not to worry about it. I have always had three particular sad periods, the beginning of the schoolyear, the end of the schoolyear and Christmas. Since I have retired, school has not bothered me. Even with subbing, that dark, empty feeling has gone away. Christmas is still hard to handle and I don't know why.

seasonal depression

I am fighting depression. My brain is telling me to get my house decorated for Christmas but I still have pumpkins on my dining room table. I know there is shopping to get done. I had planned to walk at the little mall today and do some shopping after but I couldn't get out of my pajamas. I keep telling myself that it's okay to be lazy one day. Tomorrow will be different. Tomorrow I will wake up with a positive attitude. Tomorrow I will exercise and shop and decorate for Christmas. Please dear Jesus, help me get out of the dumps.

could this be...

the last rose of summer?

thanksgiving

God, we thank you for this food.

For rest and home and all things good.

For wind and rain and sun above.

But most of all for those we love.

white cactus

My white cactus is now blooming. That's a good thing! 

they're done

Seven dozen cookies ready to be delivered this morning for the big cookie sale tomorrow. I say big because they usually sell more than twelve thousand dozen. I'm serious, that's alot of cookies!

I also received a kid bite on Thursday, the third one of my teaching career. I was fortunate because it did not break my skin. If there was blood I would have had to be tested for HIV and everybody knows how much I hate needles!

dying sugar

I have to make several dozen Christmas cookies for a "cookie sale" at a local retirement home. No, I'm not a resident there but I may be someday. It is a restored mansion built along the Missouri River and the view is amazing. Today I am dying the sugar that I will use to roll the cookies in. The recipe also calls for Hersey's "candy cane" kisses which I found yesterday at Target. I will be subbing the next two days so these will be baked after school on Thursday. Maybe my amazing hubby will help me!!