24 December 2018

It’s FINALLY here. Christmas 2018. Roughly 24 hours and it will be all over & things can return to the more normal and ordinary rhythms and flows.

I know and fully realize I missed reporting on and otherwise mentioning the Winter solstice but or so forgive me por favor. You probably won’t believe this but perhaps you will as I was exiting the church after Mass it seemed lighter than normal. I assumed my keen eye and supremely accurate bodily clocks were picking up the extra seconds of daylight as the days now will grow longer until and around 20 June.

The spider lilies will be in bloom, the sun will be out, lounging by the pool, fresh estate-brewed blends of solar iced tea, perhaps a splash of coconut flavored run or maybe just a Maker’s with a splash of coke …

WAKE UP SPACE RANGER …

It’s Lone Ranger or Space cowboy knitwhit.

The numbers this morning, 13 cribside, 16 on the upperdeck and 15 on the lower. All normal, acceptable and chilly but NOT unbearable.

Still, a small fire might be nice and in order however wood is in short supply and I will be venturing out later and eventually so starting a small blaze now would not be the most practical at this time.

So today has two (2) functions or events planned outside or off the cloud. One stop and minor crisis was averted when I discovered a nice roll of wrapping paper that I THOUGHT I needed to buy. So in some ‘free time’ I can wrap some of the gifts for future giving.

In the meantime and interim there is cleaning (marginal) and a major art project that will be a belated gift. Granted a slight reprieve on the Holiday delivery, I thought about it last night and I really want to spend some time on it and get it closer to finishing, completion and ultimately delivery.

I am thinking that having Christmas fall on a Tuesday is now the best or optimal. When I was younger and in school Wednesday had that honor but things change. Mid week you see caused the entire week to be off school but now it appears to extend the weekend which is good for the populace in general.

The series Enemy at the Door has improved and gotten considerably better. The episode currently playing in the background now is riveting and I am having some difficulty remaining on task. I MAY watch this episode again not unlike previous such ‘entertainment’ where I have fallen asleep.

I have a couple of cards of Thanks to write.

Sunday Carol invited me and made breakfast. She had repaired a couple of pairs of fleece sweatpants saving both from the rag bin and they were ready to be picked up which of course I did after a nice visit. She wants to explore the Fiesta market one day. That should be a request easily fulfilled.

Immediately after that visit I made my way to Walt and Maggie’s. They gave me a nice box of Sees’s candies which are greatly appreciated and being enjoyed. Walt is always good conversation and topics are broad and wide-ranged. He informed me that he had started his professional memoirs and then will begin his personal memoirs. I was slightly and temporarily taken aback but the longer I listened and paid attention the more intriguing the idea became.

So I added it to my bucket list.

For when I get old.

And find the time.

HEY, WHAT ABOUT THAT SECOND STORY YOU PROMISED? DID YOU REMEMBER IT YET ?

I very likely could have been a passing thought directly related to some such fraudulent ‘news’ story or ‘op-ed’ that was forgotten. MCI or cognitive decline.

So I looked that up to make sure I wasn’t plagiarizing or shamelessly stealing the idea of another (others). And sure enough. I FOUND it has been discovered and quite to nearly FULLY documented. Part and parcel of the ‘normal’ aging process of all things.

OK?

So I can’t claim THAT discovery so I started thinking with the idea or goal of metrics or measuring cognitive decline. How does one see it, recognize it and ultimately prevent or at least treat such a thing?

This is where it gets dicey and perhaps is a subject for another lecture at a future time when more research has been completed.

Sort of. I was thinking about the ‘new word’ for the year OR new year.

I am thinking that at this point in time …

Well I see it getting lighter and shortly the sun will be up and my advantage on the human race will be lost. For today anyway.

Things to do, places to go, bases to touch and in another time dragons to slay.

Write now as I right this could be the LAST & FINAL entry for 2018.

STOP IT !! YOU HAVE USED THAT PLOY BEFORE, WE ARE WISE TO YOUR TRICKS MISTER …!

You are sounding like a therapist.

I assure you it is NOT an evasive maneuver on my part but rather an intended lowering by me of YOUR expectations.

BRILLIANT AND MOST THOUGHTFUL.

What else can I say but you are SO CORRECT.

Don’t expect ANYTHING. That way if you get SOMETHING, act, express or show excitement or PURE DELIGHT.

Then again a year-end review, highlights of the year according to Bill, notable deaths something like that MAY provide suitable motivation to turn on, log in and create spin in this space. None of which are out of the question. So ...

God Bless.

Maybe later.

Otherwise, see you next year.

2019 doesn’t sound as good or just right quite yet anyway.

So hold off and make a good plan or plans. That is ALWAYS an AFFORDABLE activity AND can save you IMMENSELY in the long run.

Enjoy the Holiday and enjoy Family or at least friends assuming you have one, the other or both.