DID YOU STAY HOME ALONE FOR THANKSGIVING RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE RELATIVES? WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS?

 DID YOU STAY HOME ALONE FOR THANKSGIVING RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE RELATIVES? WHAT ABOUT CHRISTMAS?

Well friends, I did!  I got my turkey a week early and decided to thaw out and cook it the next day.  I stuck it in a crock pot and hours later I had a meal and a lot of left overs.  I remember the days when Turkey was only for holidays but now, due to low fat diets, more of us are eating it regularly.  Not as special.

Also not as special.  Going out shopping on Thanksgiving!  Is NOTHING sacred?

Not me.  There was not a chance in hell that I was going to do Thanksgiving as greed and materialism and Black Friday as more greed and materialism.  I know there were deals out there but in my town people were camping out in store parking lots over night to beat other consumers.

I went to the local library the day before and came home with a dozen DVD's.  Some films I wanted to watch, others to take a chance with, including documentaries.  Then, as I watched these over a FOUR DAY SELF IMPOSED HOLIDAY, I did some hand sewing. 

Over my holiday I took my doggie for a long walk and bathed her.  I started to read a really interesting book called YOUR DOG IS YOUR MIRROR, just out, that tells us that dogs are living in the moment and emotionally at all times. (Enough of this dog training via the dominance model!)

Actually I had a long list of things I hoped to accomplish, but hey, washing the windows and hanging new draperies I'd made by myself was fulfilling, and I can put the Halloween decorations away another time.

At no time did I feel sorry for myself or lonely!

In fact, I turned down an invitation to go to a friend's family for Thanksgiving.  My friend is always complaining about all the family members who would be there, so I saw no reason why I needed to meet these people who cause her so many issues all year.  I'm sure she meant well, but I preferred my own company.

Now the Christmas Holidays are upon us.  I plan to craft a very few personal gifts to give at year's end, along with a LOT OF THANKS for those people I really do appreciate. To me even Christmas is OPTIONAL when it comes to being social.  It's great to be able to do as I like rather than be socially obligated!

Sister

(First published November 26, 2012)

MUST HALLOWEEN COSTUMES BE PARTNERED UP?

If you're dressing up for a Halloween party, then you know that you usually don't go alone.  You're invited to bring along a friend or partner - what's called a plus 1 in Britain - and then what's popular is to wear costumes that go together - famous couples, a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste, male and female frogs.

But it's OK to go single and to wear something that doesn't require partnership.

*****

That said.  There's me and my dog...

MY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY FOR ONE (and a DOG)

If I could have ANYTHING for Christmas, it would be to get away for a week or two with my dog, somewhere where I know no one, no one is going to bother me, and if I really feel like chatting I can take a long walk to a coffee house to meet people and then go home alone.

I could ALMOST pull this off in the city if I didn't have my dog.  Since we have no yard, I must take her for a walk down the street a few times a day to do her business.  A little chit chat with other dog owners doesn't really bother me but I don't know how to ignore friends when I see them.  It's just that I would like to NOT SPEAK, to not use my vocal chords, and enjoy RELATIVE SILENCE, which is so rare these days.

I think I could do this for a week or two without feeling lonely.

Instead we will have our citified holiday.  I plan to make a whole chicken with apple and shallot stuffing in a slow cooker and eat it with rice, cranberry sauce, and a couple drinks.  I bought RUM which I haven't had for years, coconut milk and pineapple juice and nutmeg, and will try a drink recipe made from those ingredients. 

My dog is so funny.  I do slow cooking at least once a week and my dog has to smell the cooking all day.  When I come through the door she is excited and practically attaches herself to my ankle going from room to room so that when I start putting the slow cooked food on a plate I won't forget her.

Of course I share, mindful of the foods on the taboo list for dogs.

She mostly has dry kibble.

This year though I bought her a little SALMON and already she has her new BLUE PUPPY DOG to play with.  She shows off how she has been playing with it so that I know she knows it is hers.

Slowly, I'm easing into the holidays with some BOOKS to read in the evening while me and the dog linger under blankets together.

What my dog does all day when I'm not home, I don't know.

My friend who put a BabyCam on her dogs so she could see them from work said hers mostly slept.

I suspect mine mostly does that too.