This Week...Our December (Birthday) Getaway..Not a Creature was Stirring and More

OMG! It's so BEAUTIFUL!

I want to TOUCH it!

Finally got the tree together for a "Beary Merry Christmas"

And the cats approve!

John's Birthday and Our December Adventure Midweek. 

Where Sofi fully accepted him into our little pride by eventually climbing into his lap on her own...which she rarely does with anyone, including me.

She is funny...

Going from this "I Love you" look...

to eventually

"I OWN You"

and then

"I think I'm going to EAT you."


Returning home to his own Diva Kitty, GIZMO, Friday night to get the

"Okay...now I SMELL two different cats on you....do you want to talk about it?"

But we had a steak birthday dinner with all the trimmings...and flaming cupcakes and wishes...and presents...and playing with the cats by the Christmas Tree (... it is so wonderful that we are BOTH cat people...) and driving out to see Christmas Lights...and Our Inn which was also beautifully decorated for Christmas.

John surprised me with a few of my FAVORITE things...including a trek he had taken earlier to J. Evelyn's for more of the BEST hand-dipped chocolates ever!

And I had a few surprises for him, too.

We had whole lot of Our Time...Love in The Age of Arthritis...and even the 2nd half of the Chiefs-Chargers game which was a great added surprise!

Incredible Game. 

And much like the Miami-Patriots Game where Miami won in the last 15 seconds of the game...the Chargers said

"Hold my beer and watch this..."

They managed to win by 1 point in the last 3 seconds on the clock.

It was brilliant.

And then there was The Sheet.

Maybe it is because I am in the midst of redoing my bedroom and am just focused on bedding right now.

Or maybe it just really was that amazing.

"Seriously, honey, feel this sheet."

The top sheet was...the word Gossamer comes to mind.

Airy, light, silky...not your standard 400-500 or even 1500 thread count.

Just AMAZING.

So amazing- that we asked the Innkeeper about them. Since we are planning to have our Superbowl Party together here and were booking reservations she offered to order me a new set to take home (forever) when we return!!!!!!!

I'm thrilled.

(...it is truly the little things...)

Came home to fix a big Country Christmas Breakfast for us and do some late shopping before our carriage turned back into a pumpkin.

Taking today and recovering.

Apparently, so are the cats.

Idgy's Shoppe is beginning to look like Christmas more and more, too...

Looking forward to tomorrow and our Sister's Day (Tina and Lisa and I) where we will be making Christmas Cookies (for the first time ever) together and having a pitch-in Brunch.
Can't wait!

No new movie this week...but the Book of The Week is

The book is from a series of letters that Obama personally answered from people just like you and I...through the entirety of his Presidency.

Along with stories of the lives of the people who had written.

I found the personal glimpse into his responses very heart-warming. Letters answering both supporters and staunch critics.

You may, too.

Well worth the time.

Getting ready for our next battle with The Cowboys.

Dearest mother — Word of our victory in Houston spread quickly and now a posse of Cowboys is on our heels. We must march double-time to home camp in order to prepare for a likely shootout. Victory has renewed our unit. Inform the hens my resolve has never been stronger. — Andrew

Dearest mother — I have received your care package of pickled fox thumbs and fresh Squirrel Oil. The posse of Cowboys inches closer by the day. Scouts have yet to see them, but can smell their barbecue and hear their whooping. We continue to drill and prepare. Focused. — Andrew

Dearest mother — The posse of Cowboys has reached the outskirts of town. Scouts tracked them by the trail of tobacco spit and discarded baked beans cans. Our unit has been drilling in boots with spurs to be understand their maneuvers. I believe we’re prepared. Steadfast. — Andrew

Go COLTS!!!

And although you can get away...you just can't ESCAPE the political dumpster-fire that is this Administration.

With Press Secretary Sarah Sanders and Chief of Staffs John Kelly's departure at the end of this month...it appears we have a TWO-WAY Bingo on our Trump Bingo Card! 

It was only a matter of time, you know. 

With so many of his Administration (including himself) either Under Investigation, Indicted, Convicted or Jailed.

I am hearing

Drowning Pool
Let The Bodies Hit The Floor

https://youtu.be/3zHNfzXSqLQ


(...sorry...I watched a cockatiel who could perform this song...I think it may have affected me adversely...)


And the hunt for a Chief of Staffs replacement has been...somewhat humorous at best...

Nick Ayres:  "NFW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Er..I mean I'm sorry...I really can't."

(the rest of that  sentence was probably "Go down with the Ship"

In fact, Ayres is leaving the Administration completely.

Meadows  "PASS"

Munchin  "Hard Pass"

Chris "fucking" Christie  "Nope"

(...to be fair...if they had stapled the request to a box of jelly doughnuts...his answer would have been different, I'm thinking...")

Mick Mulvaney  "Oh okay...If I HAVE to...Chris, ya gonna eat those doughnuts?"

Still no word on who is going to take Sanders place.

"...there are some things even the lab rats won't do..."

I'm going to miss her in that  Marty Feldman "What are YOU actually looking at" kind of way.

So there you have it...more as it comes.

Because it always does. 

Later...



(addendum)

We won..we won..we won..we won...

And we won HUGE!  24 to ZERO.

A complete shut-out!


Dearest mother — My hand trembles with excitement as I write to tell you the unit was victorious over the posse of Cowboys. In fact, we walked away completely unscathed. Truly magnificent. There remains a chance our campaign lengthens, a marvelous thought. I love you. — Andrew




Big Macs tomorrow!!!





 

Virtual Australia: Northern Territory- Darwin

Welcome (virtually) to Darwin...the capital city of the Norther Territory.
Also the largest city in the Territory.

Because of its proximity to SE Asia, Darwin has a 6-8 week build up (very humid and hot) and then a monsoon season.

Darwin was named after Charles Darwin in 1911, who once sailed into this Port on The HMS Beagle.

Its population hovers around 140,000 people.


https://youtu.be/RQScm2282iw

DARWIN.


Since Big City Tours aren't really my thing...I thought I would check out
two attractions in Darwin that I would have enjoyed real-time.

The first of which is

Mindi Beach

Known best for its spectacular sunset

and The Sunset Markets

https://youtu.be/3bLg7P-2gWw

Live music, art, food, petting a young croc and shopping. What's not to love?

Another specific-to-Darwin is

Crocasarus Cove.

Where you can take a dive...protected by special croc-proof-glass (we hope)
with the center's largest saltwater crocodiles!

Darwin boasts a huge number of Saltwater Crocodiles in all their waterways.
So numerous and thriving they must be hunted back to keep them from over-population.

Billed as The Cage of Death

Some of the Saltwater Crocs are over 5 metres in length.

All sizes at Crocodile Cove 

from hatchlings

to 

gargantuan!

Even stuffed

for

the kiddies

 

Inside the Cage of Death

https://youtu.be/uWPh8AIVLaA

That's it for today.

Hope you've enjoyed

Darwin

More anon!

 Next up: Discovering Katherine NT

It's Been A Long Month This Week...

But it is starting to look like Christmas at Home!

Finally found the bright shiny red balls for the tree! And tossed a few of the blue ones down for Sofi to bat about. So far so good...with no kitten trying to climb the tree!

Amber and I made the long trek out to Loretta's earlier this week.

We did a Christmas Brunch out together, some shopping and catch-up.  Amber used to be Loretta's helper at her house long before she was mine...and she loves her...and thinks of Loretta as Mom.

We had a wonderful time!

The tree...awaiting burlap bows...including a large one for the top. The bears are now out and EVERYWHERE in the house.

I'm going to thin them out after the Holidays...but for now I am having fun with just the sheer number of them I have collected and acquired through all the years.  From Steiff to Ty and everything in between.

A "Bear-y" Merry Christmas.

Late with my cards this year...hoping to get everything mailed by Wednesday!

Finally have my room redone...pictures soon.

Home is complete! 

Move over Elf on a Shelf and the Jewish Counterpart Mensch on a Bench. There's a NEW kid in town...

Just in time for Michigan's Holiday Season where Recreational Marijuana is a THING now.

And NASA thought that was steam off the Great Lakes...


Coming soon to a State near you!

Getting everything organized for John's Birthday, and Our Time & Christmas soon...also Our Sisters Day at the end of the week...where we are pitching in for lunch grazing and will be making and decorating Christmas Cookies together. Proving one again...it is NEVER too late to have a Happy Childhood together. Even in your fifties!

Sunny Day Snowmen Cookies.

And Lisa's Recipe for Wedding Cake Cookies

Which she is making for all of us!

I love these with tea.

This Week's Book, also all about Recipes.
Southern Ones.

Reese Witherspoon's Whiskey in a Teacup

Part Autobiographical.  Part Cookbook. Part Southern Etiquette. Completely engaging and delightful.

This truly is The Year of The Cookbooks...and this is among the BEST.


The Movie of The Week

 Kurt Russell as the jolly "I don't go ho-ho-ho" not-so-fat man, is brilliant.

A fun family film.
Loved the elves!

A must see...if only for Goldie Hawn's cameo appearance at the end..as who else but Mrs. Claus.

And Christmas came EARLY for millions of us as The Mueller Investigation really went into full swing this week as well...

Resister's feeling like it is Christmas Morning.

The Indicted feeling like they just checked their stocking's and found lumps of coal.

Hey...in Trump's defense he has made it clear he was bringing back coal, okay? Don't act all surprised.


Donald tweeting more and more erratically and bizarrely until he probably sprained his thumbs.

At one point...after his own DOJ stated

"Trump involved in at least 2 felonies"

Trump tweeted

"Report Showed No Collusion"  

It must be nice to be so blissfully free from the ravages of Intelligence.

COS General John Kelly gone by the end of the year...along with his impressive career in the USMC.

Why does everything (or anyone) Trump touches turn to shit???

It is like some horrid parody of The Midas Touch.

Seriously.

But this appears to be the Beginning of the End...with even Republicans starting to eyeball the idea of Impeachment.

The Stock Market...like Trump's Ersatz Presidency is now swirling the bottom of the bowl.

"Congratulations...you seem to have dismantled another thing Obama gave us...and put us right back into a Recession. In only 2 years."

(...just shaking my head...)

And still some die-hard Trumpers are trying to defend him.

"...you guys sit over there, now. The Adults are talking..."

 Cautiously Optimistic.

The Colts play again today!

This time Houston.

Dearest mother — I have received your care package of herbed muskrat steaks and sparrow sauce. It has helped with my cheer. The unit is on the move to Houston to once again battle the Texan men. We must not allow ourselves to be distracted by their Clown. Steadfast. — Andrew


We really really really need to win.

Go Colts!!!



Addendum:

WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We won we won  we won we won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dearest mother — I write with stupendous news. The unit was victorious once more. The Texan men battled hard, but our maneuvers were crisp and well executed. My sidearm was true and a sight to behold. The clouds have parted. Our heads are held high. I love you. — Andrew

And we sacked the QB so Big Macs all around tomorrow....

...bodhi...

Bodhi.

A day of silent reflection...on buddhism...compassion...relationships...loving-kindness...gratitude...life.

So why...during morning meditation...after 11 years...is my mind jumping and swinging from thought to thought like a monkey on monkey-bars (on crack).

This morning of all mornings?

Such is life.

So busy thinking about the next thing we need to do or have planned we miss NOW.


Some deep breathing and closing my eyes and eventually got the little hairy intruder centered...and me, too.

16 days until Christmas in case you wondered....You're Welcome.

There is John's Birthday and Our Time...Our (Lisa and Tina and I) Sister's Day (which may include Cousins this time)...And Our (Diane and Judy and newcomer to our group, Brenda) Bloomington Trip...smack dab in the middle of it all.

Oh...and Christmas...did I mention Christmas?

But today is Bodhi. Time to remember the Buddha and Enlightenment. To FOCUS. 

(...and not for focusing on the next three weeks...)

Okay...meditation was a disaster...sometimes it is...there is always tonight.

That whole "picture your thought like inner-tubes swirling down a lazy river"...no...somehow my inner-tubes were stuck in the middle of an 8 lane LA Freeway...and it was rush hour...okay?

Damned monkey-mind anyway.

Broke my fast with Brown rice, butter and cream, and a dab of Fig Jam.

Listened to a few of my favorite motivational speakers (Will Smith, Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman)

Did my daily workout.

Continued my journal with today's 3 things I am grateful for...a habit I started a couple years back and continue every day.

and worked on this missive.

I call it

                                  
 The Budda Jesus Christ 

Before you close this page in disgust...let me explain...raised Pentecostal in the 1960's and early 1970's I get it. I WAS you..okay.

When I first embraced Buddhism I wasn't any better. In fact I was worse.

Mr. Detro (an Evangelical Christian I knew) accosted me in front of a local convenience store and presented me with a Chick Tract.

(...if you've never encountered one of these evangelical gospel booklets...the gist is what horrors will happen to you if you don't follow their religious persuasion...)

Instead of smiling...wishing him blessings of the day...taking the 3x4 inch booklet and relegating it to the compost bin later in the day  which would have been beneficial to growing tomatoes and peppers and such-

No. I was rude. Handed it back.
Smug.
So rude.

"I am a Buddhist" I proclaimed.
 Trying the name on for size, I think.

(...at that exact moment I was as far from being a buddhist as a pig is from the moon...)

It took me a few years to realize that Buddhism means embracing all others...not feigning some air of superiority.

So, yeah,  I get it.

"How DARE she associate Buddha with Our Lord."

There are a great number of misconceptions about Buddhism. Probably the biggest being that somehow we "worship" a statue.

The statue in my home only reminds me to be Buddha-like. To be mindful. To aspire to...stay focused.  I miss many times...so many times...but I keep practicing.

The second huge misconception is that Buddha is a GOD. And that there is only The Buddha.

Everyone has the capacity of a Buddha.

There are many many many Buddhas...both now and past.

Think in terms of wisdom, compassion, loving-kindness.

Some well known...

Ghandi...Mother Teresa, Dali Lama, MLK Jr., JFK, and yes...even Jesus.

Some maybe not so well known...

A local firefighter, clergyman, police officer.

Or perhaps just your Grandmother or Grandfather.

Buddhas are everywhere...if only we take the time to see them, and learn from them. 

With much learning and practice...even us.

Until then we are bodhisattva..."practicing"...on the path of buddhahood.

For today...I celebrate, not a god, but a man's enlightment and the path he gave to us.

It is up to us to make our way.


Namaste! 

 





It is worth noting that there are many sects of Buddhism...much like Christianity.
Every one has slightly different rules/beliefs.