Between 1 & 2 AM

It fills me with despair to think of all the sadness my granddaughters will experience. Tonight laughing with Elizabeth and Olivia, I wished they could always laugh. But already they have sadness. Olivia told me about something that made her cry at Christmas. Elizabeth has all the stresses of a 13 year old. If only I could cushion them all.

Also, I wish I could save Mama from all her frailties. I want her to be free of worry but nothing I do seems to accomplish that. She always took care of everything, did all the cooking, cleaned up all the mess. Now this has passed to me. I don't even like to cook. Elizabeth is learning to cook and does a great job. Tonight she made the cornbread and mashed the potatoes. When she is an old woman she will be able to make a pan of cornbread fit for a king.

I want to put away my Christmas trees but something is keeping me from it. I can't seem to let them go. They are all small with little white lights, except for the Norfolk Island Pine which has colored lights. The little silver tree came from the junk store in Georgetown. Elizabeth wants me to leave it up and decorate it for all the holidays. She says it will be pretty for Valentine's Day and Easter. Maybe I will do it. Why not.

The house is so quiet tonight, nothing stirring but me, clicking the computer keys, wrapped up in my new pink snuggie, a cat across my chest, books on the table, cokes in the fridge.

But sad. Not really a bad sad, just sad.

CHRISTMAS TREES

I didn't put up a big Christmas tree. I intended to put up the white one but just didn't get it done. Instead I have several small trees. There are 4 big, little trees and lots and lots of little, little trees. I like them more than I thought I would. Three of them are sitting on a table together and the kittens spend a lot of their time sleeping there. They keep knocking one of them off the table but it doesn't seem to hurt it. It seems to be just the place for a kitty to nap.

Poppy, the outside kitty, had to go to the vet today. She has a head wound. It didn't amount to much, the vet cleaned it, gave her a shot and sealed off the wound. Poppy, who is feral, settled right in to being a very tame kitty. She didn't get the least bit upset, letting everybody hold her. She was happy to get home though.

I'm concerned for Jean Ritchie tonight.

DECORATIONS

I was going to take Mama for a pedicure today but it is too rainy and cold. She would be wet and frozen before I could get her in the car. Next week for sure.
A lot of the decorations are out of the attic. Maybe I will get festive today. I can only imagine what the cats will do when the tree is here. The kittens will be beside themselves. The tree or the cats may have to go to the porch.

ORNAMENTS

I found these ornaments at St. Vincent de Paul today, along with the little tree. None of them are in great shape but they are sparkly and festive. They make a nice centerpiece and also they might tell a story or two. Who discarded them? Were they not treasured? I'll use them for some decorating this Christmas.