Blue Star Chronicles

So far, this has really not been a good week. Lots of things have piled on that no one really wants to hear about and I don’t really want to write about - it’s just been stressful and not good. Today was particularly bad and my mood darkened as the day went by. I managed to get myself into a real snit.

I had to do some running around and it seemed every where I went someone, somewhere, somehow was spoiling my foul mood. So here are some of the things that happened today that intruded on my self-pity and seemed to be forcing the Christmas Spirit on me! They felt like little everyday miracles.

1. Standing in what seemed like an endless line at the post office I was surprised to hear cheerful talk and laugher among the other people in the line. Someone up ahead of me had on a ridiculous ornate Santa Claus hat that jingled whenever she moved her head. Just that one action created laugher, chatter and friendly smiles in spite of the long line. Even the postal workers were smiling and talking to the customers.

2. I went in to Subway to grab a sandwich for lunch and AGAIN everyone seemed in a good mood in the line (this good mood thing seemed to be spreading!). When I finally got to the cash register to pay for my sandwich, the cashier was unselfconsciously singing ‘The weather outside is frieghtful ….’ to herself. She didn’t even seem aware that she was singing the song.

3. I drove the back roads home because of the heavy traffic, only to get stopped on a 2-lane hardly ever used back road by road construction of all things. The workers were digging up part of the road - apparently laying pipe. I should say about 10 workers were lounging on the side of the road while one guy worked a backhoe kinda thing. I was the only car stopped and was irritated they wouldn’t let me pass when there was room. As I sat there and steamed to myself, I looked to my left and there was a small house with a fenced in yard FULL of the tackiest Christmas decorations I have ever seen (and that is saying something). There wasn’t an inch of yard without a plastic santa or reindeer. I laughed in spite of myself.

4. My precious daughter, who moved to California last month with nothing but a wing and a prayer, called me no less than a dozen times today to tell me funny things that were going on with her in job interviews.

‘I don’t think I did well in that job interview today’, she said. When I asked her why not she proceeded to explain to me that when she sat down her blouse opened a bit between buttons across her bust and no matter how she situated herself she couldn’t adjust it so it closed properly. I told her that might have helped her actually (just kidding - sorta). She was applying for a job in business, the interviewers asked her what organizational method she uses. ‘Post-It notes’, she answered. She said the female interviewer’s eyes went wide and the male interviewer chuckled. ‘I’m thinking that might not have been the answer they were looking for.’ she said. She had me laughing in spite of myself.

She said when she left the building one of the male interviewers was out there. He said hello and told her he hopes she gets the job. She replied that she didn’t think she did very well at all. He told her that she was ‘a breath of fresh air’. He said they talked about her a long time after she left and liked her honest, genuine answers. I told her I imagine they are STILL talking and laughing at her answers - the post-it notes wasn’t the only ‘honest’ answer she gave.

5. My precious daugher (see #4) has made some new friends and has been excitedly telling me about her plans to spend Christmas with some friends out in California who also don’t have family there. It makes me happy when my children are happy. She was making me read her recipes over the phone! lol

6. My Soldier Son’s girlfriend sent my son a Christmas tree with some decorations so he has a tree for Christmas. I’m glad he will have a tree.

7. My Soldier Son emailed to tell me to expect packages he is sending. I told him NO ONE expects Christmas gifts from him this year. He said he wanted to get something for everyone. He’s apparently spent every minute he could on the internet making sure he ordered gifts for family and friends.

8. I got home and had a lovely Christmas card from an uncle I haven’t seen in years. It brought back a time and place that has been gone for a number of years as he’s the last one of that generation on that side of my family. It was simply wonderful to read what he wrote and realize he had taken the time and effort to send out cards.

9. I got on the internet when I got home and a lot of blogs are decorated for Christmas - including mine

10. At least 10 people I didn’t know wished me a Merry Christmas while I was out shopping today.

11. I stopped at Sams to pick up some odds & ends and the dishwashing little packets were all red and green. When I got to the check out counter the cashier remarked on the fact that we even have Christmasy dishwashing detergent. I had to laugh at how ridiculous that really is.

12. You simply can NOT stay in a bad mood listening to Christmas music. Period!

13. I got to read some notes a group of Tennessee school children wrote to our Soldiers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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