November is winding down and soon we will be in December. The things I promised myself I would make for gifts this year are still in the closet…..little hope of them getting done at this late date. I have always enjoyed making things for people, from food to crafts and all the needlework things. I still hope to be able to do that but……maybe next year. We weren’t planning on a year with cancer when I had all those bright ideas.

Family and friends continually tell me to get smart and do things the quick way….or the easy way. Somehow the quick and easy just doesn’t look sincere to me. As I make something for a person, each stitch or each cookie coming out of the oven, spells “home.” I love the preparation time and fussing over everything so it comes out just right.

I woke up with an agenda today. There were household chores that needed doing, but then I stopped by the garage for a moment. We have a large pantry with insulated walls and lots of shelves where I store decorations for different times of the year and lots of dishes. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look to see what I had to decorate with …….and the first thing I knew, I had a ladder in the closet digging and rearranging from the top shelf on down.

I’d forgotten a lot of things I stored away so it was like shopping without having to go by the check-out counter. I brought things in to organize and while Rocky was busy with his morning nap I began putting things up and finished most of the decorating. It turned off cloudy and gray with sprinkles of rain so it made a cozy day to be inside.

I am wrapping gifts to mail this afternoon and then I will get to some baking and candy making later in the week. It’s best to start early and keep in the freezer. Rocky will be leaving Friday morning for his Powerlifting Meet in Nashville and will be the first Meet that I haven’t been with him. I hate not being able to yell my support while he makes his lifts but I know the guys will do that for me. I am so hoping he can break more records for his age group.

This is such a nice time of year to be in touch with family and friends. More than gifts I believe stopping by to let someone know they are important to you means more than anything. The gift of time is priceless. A phone call, a letter or card tells that person they are important to you……still. Love those you cherish, bring joy to the forgotten, food and clothing to the poor and a smile to all you meet. The rewards are more than you can carry…….you’ll just naturally have to give a lot of them away.

…….and remember……. “Growing old is easy. The hard part is growing up!”

Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther