My SW Daybook – December 2016 edition

Whoa. Christmas is almost here, and I’m just getting to this! Here’s my November/December entry for the Simple Woman’s Daybook. (I can surely see why our SWDB blog circle hostess merged the two months!)

Looking out my window …

The sun is shining, at least for now, with its rays bouncing beautifully off the freshly fallen snow. It’s so bright outside that it’s hard to believe we are receiving extreme chill warnings. The actual temperature measures zero degrees (F) today, with the wind-chill coming in at about -15.

Public domain artwork

I am thinking …

How far off is spring? That sounds like a trick question, as winter itself doesn’t officially arrive for three more days (according to the calendar). Oh, boy.

I am thankful …

This year has been filled with what seems to have been an unusual amount of losses for friends. Dear ones have said goodbye to passing spouses, parents, and children. Others have lost beloved pets. All over, people appear to be bidding 2016 farewell more eagerly than I can remember in past years and pointing to 2017 as a time of promise.

Life is as unpredictable as any old saying may claim – perhaps even more so. I am reminded with gratitude of my many loved ones and the health they enjoy. I appreciate that this is an unusual and remarkable gift. And I remember fondly those who have gone on ahead.

Family photo/All rights reserved.
This was taken a few years ago, and two of these dear ones are no longer with us.

 

One of my favorite things …

Did I mention Christmas is almost here?

I am creating …

I am starting the process of collecting several poems topically, assembling them for another upcoming book. 

Public domain artwork

I am wearing …

Although I likely won’t run today (Remember the wind-chill advisory?), I am running around the house in Nike Pro Hyperwarm Running Tights, topped by an Under Armour Women's ColdGear Infrared Popover Hoodie. I have a pair of Smartwool Women's Charcoal Heather Socks on as well. And I’m shuffling around in a pair of moccasins.

OK, I’ll probably crank out a couple of miles on the elliptical. I’m doing a holiday mile challenge thing, for which I committed to do at least a mile a day from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

I am watching …

On Netflix, I am about to begin watching The Crown. Friends recommend this highly – especially those who loved Downton Abbey.

 

Downton Abbey publicity still - fair use.

I am reading …

Actually, I’m about to order this title: How I Changed My Mind about Women in Leadership: Compelling Stories from Prominent Evangelicals. It’s a compilation of articles by several well-known evangelicals (Stuart and Jill Briscoe, Tony Campolo, Bill and Lynne Hybels, John and Nancy Ortberg, Ron Sider, and more), discussing women in leadership in Christian ministry. 

Book cover - fair use.

This is sort of a hot-button for me, particularly as we now attend a church that espouses hierarchical complementarianism. (I confess: I am bristling a bit at it, particularly after spending more than a decade in a church that willingly lit booster rockets under women who were gifted and willing to serve.)

I am listening to …

Right now, YouTube is playing continuous Christmas carols, as I type.

I am hoping …

Yikes! I am hoping to run 2,017 miles in 2017. That’s a tall order for me. It would average 5.5 miles a day, if I run every single day of the entire year. That’s not really feasible, especially in the Upper Midwest. That means I’ll have to do at least twice that on plenty of days. But I am trying to push myself a bit, to stay in shape, and to keep MS at bay (as much as possible).

So here we go!

Public domain artwork

I am learning …

Recently, I auditioned and joined a local chorus. This is already a lot of fun, and it has jettisoned me into learning some music theory. It’s been a long time since I sight-read sheet music! And my own ear has required something of a tune-up. But I love the challenge, and it is refreshing to be using my brain in a wholly different way.

Plus, this group of wonderful new friends has welcomed me so warmly. I find myself grinning, just at the thought of them.

LAN photo. All rights reserved.

In my kitchen …

Although I hosted a Christmas cookie swap less than a week ago, I am getting the itch to bake a few more kinds of holiday treats. We have a few family get-togethers coming up, and I haven’t yet made my perennial gingerbread horses. (Nope, I didn’t say “gingerbread houses.” It’s a horse-girl thing.)

In my garden …

What garden? It’s winter in Wisconsin!

Board room …

Here’s a pin for a fun Christmas party game/Holiday song quiz from my Christmas Creativity board on Pinterest. The actual game, titled “Christmas Carol Titles Undone,” can be found here at Delightfully Amiss: Berzerkians Gone Amok. The 32 holiday songs are all pretty familiar, but the clues are tricky!

Public domain artwork

Post Script …

Did you know that 2017 is the Year of the Rooster (in the Chinese New Year’s 12-year animal cycle)?

Shared Quote …

“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store.”

Adapted by this user from public domain art.

Closing Notes:

Thanks for stopping by at Practically at Home! Best wishes for a merry Christmas, a happy holiday season, and a wonderful new year.

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