Sunday, December 7, 2014

Battling "The Plague"...but it's Beginning to look a Lot like Christmas!



Okay...not Ebola bad...but still pretty bad.

It seems one of the adults (or more likely one of the cookie-crumblers) on Thanksgiving had THE PLAGUE...and spread it pretty much to EVERYONE who came to the house that day.  The Flu this year is vicious. Settled in several evenings with high fever and chills and aching all over.

"If my eyes start bleeding, it is Ebola, damn it..."

Chris saved my ass early on by dropping by Sprite and Saltines...all the while making Ebola jokes and keeping his distance.

Talked with Nicole and James who said

"So...you have it, too?"

The bright side is that today it appears to be on the downside although I feel the beginnings of an opportunistic URI that slipped in.

"Well, you were already flat on your back...I didn't figure one more bug would make any difference."

~sigh~

But...feeling much better today...and catching up on things while a crockpot of ham and beans simmers and a skillet of cornbread bakes.

Finally sat down and worked on my wreath and pine cones and other bit of decorating and home is a bit more seasonally cozy tonight.













And tomorrow I start the Christmas Fudge!

The out-of-state and online purchases handled and the wrapping begins next week. A few gifts left to pick up...but pretty much have it handled for 2014.
Lennon will be here in days :)

Received an early surprise from my eldest! Christopher Titus' Special:
Angry Pursuit of Happiness. If you have not seen this bit of stand-up it is brilliant!

If you have seen it you will fully understand if I walk by muttering,

 "That does it...definitely demoted to a 1."

Or randomly call out

"ARM THE CHILDREN"

And in the very midst of this flurry of gift wrap and shiny baubles and tinsel and ribbon tomorrow marks a Buddhist Celebration of a very different sort. A day (or at least a great part of it) set aside for meditation/reflecting.

Bodhi Day

The Day [beneath a tree of the same name]
The Buddha Achieved Enlightenment.

I am still practicing. This is my 7th year. I catch those rare fleeting glimpses occasionally. They are pretty magnificent.  Centering is much easier than it was years ago. 

So... not as beautiful as the Hindu Diwali with floating sky lanterns...and without stories of Angels on High...Shepherds or Mangers...no Menorahs or Miracles of Oil lasting days instead of hours...not even a Jolly Fellow in a red and white suit bringing toys to all the good boys and girls.

Just the story of a man...another human like you or I...who sat beneath a Bodhi  in meditation for 49 days in 658 B.C...to emerge enlightened at age 35 and spend the next 45 years of his life teaching others self-awareness. Not telling them how they should/or that they must walk the path...merely pointing the way.





Not a bad way to spend a life time. 


 So...before we start listening to the endless bickering over Happy Holidays ~vs~ Merry Christmas...

Happy Bodhi. 

I wish you ALL much love, light and happiness on your journey.
Whatever journey it may be.

Namaste