How lucky am I? To have a sister so close, who is my best friend, really, well, she and my son. We are so close now, she and I. She hadn’t decorated her tree, because it was the first Christmas my mom was not here with her. So I’d told her, next time I was here we’d do it together and channel Mom for each other.

We did that today. We decorated the tree together. She has a lot more ornaments than tree, lol. But keeps them all, and switches on and off each year. Today, digging through her boxes of Christmas ornaments, while we were both here, we found a box of my mother’s ornaments! It was so cool. I said later, we really did channel her, and found her ornaments!

We talked about her for awhile, and my sister recalled some very painful moments in the months that she cared for Mom, moments she hadn’t previously shared, and we both cried, but it was healing crying. Every time I come here, I drive by the place my mom last lived before she had her stroke, and I usually smile, and feel her good energy because she was so happy there. But today, I got choked up driving by, and missed her terribly. So it seems that it’s probably missing her, and channeling her, and the holidays in general that made us so emotional. It was really good for us. We have both agreed that this Christmas would be really hard without each other.

She had to show me her citrus trees. She has an orange tree laden with fruit, and a lemon tree and a grapefruit tree. The orange tree has the most fruit, but the other two have a good amount. She said I have a perfect yard for growing them. Then we swam in the pool for a long while. The air had become cool by then, but the pool was at about 90, so it was really warm. I swam a lot, it really helps my arthritis. Then she and I sat in the hot tub with a glass of wine and gabbed while the almost full moon came up over us. It was just beautiful.

I have a date Wednesday night with the guy I talked about before, the one I liked the best. I’ll call him C. We’re going to dinner, and then going to a Christmas light show that’s by the restaurant. The restaurant is on St. Pete Beach on the inter-coastal waterway between St. Pete Beach, a barrier island, and the mainland. The beaches on the island there are utterly beautiful. Soft white sand, turquoise blue water.

I’m pretty excited about the date. We have spoken on the phone a number of times, and seem to hit it off. The conversation seems to flow, there is no game playing, no drama, that I can detect. We both ask and answer questions, and our sense of humor seems to mesh. I feel like there will be a physical attraction as well, which would be nice.

I haven’t called the other man back, but I promised him I would. I’ll call him R. I just have such terrible cell phone service here at my sisters. I don’t want to have our first conversation dropped or something in the call. He is a physicist, and also does other things like act in an online audio theater. We have messaged a lot, and he has answered every question I’ve asked, I’ve answered his. We seem to have some commonalities in our beliefs. I told him that it seemed to me that quantum physics, from my cursory knowledge of it, proves that we are all one thing. He gave me a website of his to check out. Very interesting guy. I am kind of afraid he’s so involved in so many things that he might be a little unfocused, or maybe I just wonder how he will fit a significant other into his life when he finds one. IDK, too early to tell until I talk to him. I would guess we will meet later this week. He’s already said he’d like to meet, so I guess the ball is in my court.

My washer/dryer is coming next Tuesday, a week from tomorrow. I will be so glad to get it. No more hauling laundry over here to my sisters!

We had fog today, this morning, at my house. Tonight driving over the big bridge over Tampa Bay I could see the white fog banks out to sea in the Gulf. When I got close to my sisters, on Anna Maria Island, it was blowing in off the water. Seemed so unusual for down here, but apparently it’s not. My sister said it was really foggy this morning. It was a very humid day, temp just under 80.

Well, time to get some rest.

He ranted, like a child
A garbledygook of senselessness
I could not understand.
His words were meaningless
Foreign.

His demeanor was angry
Projecting vile thoughts at me.
I was grateful I knew not
Of what he spoke.
I’m sure it wasn’t pretty.

So I cast the demon out,
Of my psyche
Of my heart
And went to sleep.

He can rant unintelligible words
To the Universe.
Or someone else
Besides me.

Today I made two kinds of my Christmas cookies.  I have 2 or 3 left to make.  I’m making them a little early, so I can mail them to my son. He called while I was making them, and I told him. He was so excited about the prospect of getting some Christmas cookies. I kind of feel bad I haven’t sent him other care packages. He’s such a good good kid.

He mixes this EDM music, a DJ of sorts. He’s spent a lot on the equipment to do it. He thinks he may have a foot in the door to open for one of the venues in Denver next month. He said he’s been spamming them hard, asking for them to listen to his music, and talk to him, two or three times a day. They responded this week that they liked his stuff and will be in touch within 14 days. He’s pretty psyched. He is also doing well at his job, top in sales in his store every month by a long shot and usually top 5 in the district. I’m very proud of him. And very happy he calls me every day. I miss him so much. But I’m really happy he’s doing so well.

I went to another boat parade tonight. This one was on Treasure Island, on St. Pete Beach. It was fun, kinda cool. Lots of bigger boats than the one we had here in town, and more boats, and more lights. But I was kind of tired, and didn’t feel like drinking. It was at my friends daughter’s condo, with people I didn’t know. Not that I have a problem with that, but I guess I was tired enough I really couldn’t wait til I got to come home.

It will be nice to get to my sisters tomorrow. Maybe sit in her hot tub for awhile. It’s supposed to be nice again this week, up to 80. I think she’s coming here on Saturday for an overnight, for the night of the artwalk. She said she needs some girl time, lol. It will be fun.

One of my friends from CT called today, and wanted to know how the weather was. I said, perfect. About 78. Sunny. It was 11 there this morning. So so so glad I’m here.

Love and light….

Do you sleep well? Just wondering. I am not, normally, a good sleeper. Nighttime seems to be when the monkey mind wants to go through the day’s activities, and thoughts, and sort them all out. Normally, about 2 hours after I go to bed. I go to sleep, and then wake up 2 hours later. It’s like having a nap. It’s a crapshoot whether or not I’ll get back to sleep.

I have my tricks, to get back to sleep. I put on some music, meditation-type. My favorite one is Oceans and Tambura by Anugama. The second cut is mostly waves crashing, and some faint other sounds, like birds, and an instrument which is mimicking a fog horn in the distance. Then begin my gratitude list.

That doesn’t always work. In which case, I might pick up my phone and check WP, or FB, or my mail. Just for a quick distraction from whatever is keeping me awake.

And if all else fails, pick up one of the 5 or 6 books beside my bed and read until I can’t keep my eyes open. Sometimes it’s about 10 minutes. Sometimes it’s 2 hours.

And of course, this already precludes that I have taken an Ambien, which usually works well, but not always. I don’t take it every night. Just when I know I have too much on my mind to sleep, or when I wake up and am awake for more than a half hour. Or, when I’m exhausted, and just want to make sure I sleep.

I used to get mad that I couldn’t sleep, when I knew I had to go to work in a few hours and actually be functional. Which of course, is not the emotion that will get you to sleep. It’s easier now, because I don’t work, so I don’t get so aggravated.

Last night was a blessing. I slept 8 ½ hours, only waking up a couple times and getting back to sleep quickly. I even managed to get back to sleep for an hour and a half, when I woke at 5 AM. Many times I just get up.

I could possibly have a really busy day today, so I’m utterly grateful for the night’s sleep. Might meet someone for brunch today. Want to bake Christmas cookies so I can send some to my son. Later, either going with a friend to her daughters condo on St. Pete Beach for a Christmas boat parade and party, or going to my sisters.

I guess it’s time to go start the cookies. I call them heart attack cookies. Only made at Christmas. Butter, sugar, and flour. A little chocolate and some raspberry jam. Oh and maraschino cherries for one of them.

Have a great day. Love and light everyone.

I spent most of the week in the house this week, while the plumbers and electricians did their thing. So, today, with everything fixed and a beautiful day unfolding, I couldn’t wait to get out of the house. Even though I love my house.

A friend and I drove to St. Pete beach for a drink and some lunch today. Restaurant was my favorite kind down here, with the tables in the sand. It was cold this morning, 50, but it got up in the mid 70’s, so it was a perfect afternoon. The Gulf was calm, and peaceful. There were a few boats on the horizon. The water at this beach is such a gradual drop-off you can walk out a very long way and just be in warm water up to your knees.

I dropped her off at her house later, and went to Walmart, to get a bunch of small things for the holidays. I came back home, and got a call from another friend, who wanted to go to the boat parade down by the beach. All the boats decorated up for the holidays. It was a lovely night, not hot, not cold, a gorgeous West Coast sunset. And how relaxing, to sit at the end of a dock, feet dangling above the clear water, and then watch the Christmas boats go by.

I’m invited to a friends condo on St. Pete Beach tomorrow to watch another boat parade. I am not sure I’m going, since I had told my sister I’d go to her house. I will talk to her in the morning and see if it’s ok if I go to her house Monday afternoon instead.

I need to make Christmas cookies so I can send some to my son. I need to get his package in the mail soon, so I think I’ll bake tomorrow morning. I can at least get a couple of kinds made.

I’m ending the day watching a few episodes of “Mozart in the Jungle” on Amazon prime. It’s a great series, taking place in NYC, around the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. My sister told me about it, and I’m trying to watch them all before the new season starts in January. The first season (the new one will be season 3) it won an emmy for best new series.

Well time to call it a day, a day well spent, happy and relaxed, content. Love and light to all.