FINISH WHAT YOU START

This e-mail came today from a book club friend:

I am passing this on to you, because it definitely works

and we could all use a little more calmness in our lives.

By following simple advice heard on the Oprah show, you

too can find inner peace.

Dr. Oz advised, 'The way to achieve inner peace is to finish

all the things you have started and have never finished.'

So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started

and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this

morning, I finished off a bottle of white Zinfandel, a

bottle of tequila, a package of Oreos, the remainder of

my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake,

some Doritos, and a box of chocolates.

You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now.

Pass this on if you know anyone you think might be

in need of inner peace.

FORGIVENESS IS A PLACE TO LIVE

"She will try to help an author who detests her, because of the home she wants to build inside herself, because of how she wants to live. In the end, to forgive, to tell the truth, to honor what is worthy of admiration, hurts less than the alternative." Elizabeth Berg , from her novel " home safe"

I finished this book a few days ago but this passage kept coming back to me. I really understood what she was saying about forgiveness versus carrying a grudge or seeking revenge. It is about what I want to reside in me. I don't want hurt and anger and hate there.

I want a clean slate; ready to be filled up by every new day. I want to hold on to what is useful and hopeful and loving. Take that into the next day and the next and make my life better and make the lives of my family better and then lives of other people better.

HOLIDAY DECOR

I signed on to do Jen's Holiday Home Tour again this year, then started worrying that it was all going to look the same as last year. But when I got all the boxes home from storage I was reminded that I had several large rooms worth of decor and a much smaller space to decorate now.

So I went all out. Pretty much everything in the boxes is out on display. Tom came home from a bike ride and was quite agog. It is very shiny.

We will not be decorating the tree until Maggie comes home on the 19th, but the photos for the home tour will be posted on Friday December 18. Stop in and see all the festive houses.

SOME TRUTH FOR A CHANGE

As the debate continues, I found this refreshingly honest.

Quote of the day :

This health care bill continues the redistribution of wealth to Wall Street at the expense of America's manufacturing and service economies which suffer from costs other countries do not have to bear, especially the cost of health care. America continues to stand out among all industrialized nations for its privatized health care system. As a result, we are less competitive in steel, automotive, aerospace and shipping while other countries subsidize their exports in these areas through socializing the cost of health care.Notwithstanding the fate of H.R. 3962, America will someday come to recognize the broad social and economic benefits of a not-for-profit, single-payer health care system, which is good for the American people and good for America's businesses, with of course the notable exceptions being insurance and pharmaceuticals. -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich

FRIDAY FAST ONES

1. I benefited from my premature grey hair today. I was shopping at Kohls and the checker deducted the 20% Senior Discount from my purchase. I am almost ten years too young for it - but I didn't volunteer that information...

2. My husband is so enamored of this commercial that he told me to go out to buy these shoes and I could even pay full retail price. I am tempted to buy them and loll around naked but for the shoes and see what he thinks then!

3. A woman who has been a friend for a long time went to one of those big sample sales in San Francisco. She bought a lot of cashmere scarves and pashminas and other things for gifts and some extras for people who asked her to bring some things for them. Before our last book club meeting she pulled out this gorgeous black and white patterned pashmina to show me. She had purchased one for herself and an extra one. She asked if I would like to buy it for $20.00.

This pashmina was so striking and completely my style. I felt a bit sorry for myself, but I said I couldn't buy it.

After our meeting, she was distributing the scarves and other pretty things and everyone was oohing and ahhing. Then my friend pulled out the black and white pashmina and showed it around and offered to anyone who might like it for $15.00.

4. Hilda, our aging little dachshund, has taken to howling and other nocturnal behavior on nights around each full moon. Is this a behavior known to come on in old age?

BE HONEST WITH ME

In person this shoe isn't so white. It is what they call "stone" when it relates to khaki pants, which is what I had in mind for them to match.

I bought them because they were really highly rated and they were really cheap. Really extra cheap. And good "comfort" style shoes are usually so expensive.

Let me tell you. The ratings were right on. They're really comfortable. Wear all day with no socks comfortable.

So tell me straight. Are they really ugly?

P.S. Maggie - I already know what you will say....I won't wear them when you are home!

MAKING THE HOLIDAYS HAPPEN

I posted a while back about selling some gold jewelry. I was happy with the amount I was paid. And put the money aside.

There was a pendant that had a couple of small stones, a ruby and a diamond, but it was only worth about $11.00 to the jeweler. I kept it and put it up on eBay and got $25.00 for it. So I popped a few more things up and have made a little over $100.00. All of that money and a bit more I saved has gone into my account for holiday shopping.

And that shopping? Almost done. I have a few things I am watching on eBay. Most of the shopping has been online so things are en route. I have been more careful than usual about watching the budget I set. I really don't want to put a penny on my credit cards. I am even planning to return a few things I bought early on before I got really organized.

So now I am focused on the things I am making. A few mosaic items I hope turn out well. Then I will make some biscotti and maybe some spiced nuts to send off to Idaho and Palm Desert and share with friends here.

I know a lot of people start decorating as soon as the turkey is put away, but I usually wait until a week or so into December.

How are you doing on your holiday preparations?