THANK YOU

[Bonnie]

For being the first of these

I am enjoying a quiet but joyous holiday season.  No working the retail madness this year!  My decorations are the Christmas cards I've received, my Christmas cactus which is blooming profusely, the solar twinkle lights that I never took down from last year and, of course, my year-round indoor Norfolk pine.  Didn't feel like putting out all the stuff that's stored in my shed this year and am enjoying everyone else's efforts immensely. The park's Christmas carol singalong two Sundays ago was fun, the Christmas dinner will be great, and I'm looking forward to my church's Christmas Eve service...more singing...YES!!!!

Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N8aNhbnP-Y

My family (ex-husband included) will gather at my oldest daughter's for turkey and ham.  I offered to bring the mas

hed potatoes but the request has come from my grandboys for scalloped potatoes.  Let's hope the recipe I found on the 'net will work, as I'm determined to do them in my pretty crockpot (bought last year) and am not going back to the store for cheese or half-and-half or canned soup.  Scalloped potatoes are made with potatoes, flour, butter, and milk and I will make the white sauce as the recipe describes...just hoping they turn out as well as the baked version I always made (and never measured anything).

I have fought the depression devil and won, with exercise, decent eating and most of all, loving myself, no matter what.  So much easier to do when I'm not sticking stinking cigs in my mouth to stuff my feelings.  When I start going down the "poor me" pity path I just "flip the switch" (advice from my daughter) and realize, more often than not, that it's because I didn't sleep well, or let regret or longing take hold of my emotions.  Silly me!  I have so much to be grateful for and my dear EX family will always be right there at the top of the list.

I wish you all PEACE and CONTENTMENT, GOOD HEALTH, and a NICOTINE-FREE LIFE.

Love, Bonnie ~709 DOF

Life is bristling with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to cultivate one's garden.

Voltaire "word of the Day" from gratefulness.org