Outside My Window ~ 12.19.10

Outside My Window…is cold, cloudy, windy and no snow.  Bonus points on the no snow ~ the nor’easter they feared would potentially bring a good bit of snow to our area ended up tracking too far off the coast.  We still have some on the ground from our last snowfall, not much but still some white here and there.  Our temperature at 12:45 today is 36°F but with the winds feels like 26°F.  We are quite close to our forecast high of 38°F for the day and the sun is expected to make an appearance….tonight will be quite cold again at 22°F.  The week looks pretty much the same as today with our next chance of snow the day after Christmas.  Not a white Christmas perhaps, but close enough I suppose.  🙂

I am thinking…about what I need to pick up from the store for my Christmas shopping.  I am not buying much this year but there are a few things I need to get.  I’m lucky I can do what little shopping I need to do during the week rather than this weekend.  I loathe going even close to the mall on a weekend before Christmas…the traffic is horrible.  I think I will get up bright and early tomorrow and tackle most of what I need to take care of.  I do have to take a trip to the Outlet Mall in Williamsburg on Tuesday and I know that probably will be my hell realized once I get there…just going to have to suck it up and take it.   The thought of maneuvering around that parking lot, even in the middle of the day, makes my head hurt.

I am thankful…that it seems I was able to keep my illness from relapsing.  I have had the croaky voice and nagging cough all this past week….but then the last few days I was waking up with headaches and feeling generally crappy during the evening hours.  I could feel it trying to creep back inside of me yesterday morning when I woke up so I stayed in bed pretty much all day again.  I took photographs of the birds visiting my feeders, I read a bit, I watched some television and I napped…I napped a lot.  Last night when I finally emerged from my room, I felt better than I had in some time although I did have a somewhat restless night because of all the sleeping I did yesterday.  When I finally went to sleep, I slept well and I felt pretty good when I got up this morning.  I still have a bit of a cough, but I’m definitely feeling better than yesterday morning.  I am determined I’m not going to be sick over the holidays and more importantly, not sick during my vacation!  Too much I hope to accomplish during this time off…no time for being sick.

From my kitchen…a cup of Cinnamon Hazelnut coffee at the moment.  I’m contemplating what I want for lunch….or brunch….can’t decide on what I want actually.  I’m thinking dinner tonight will be some fried chicken and maybe homemade macaroni and cheese with vegetable.  I don’t eat fried chicken all that often….a guilty pleasure. 

I am creating…our Christmas/New Year card and some Christmas gifts.  Can’t share right at the moment because some of the recipients read this.  🙂

I am hoping…that each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday season.  However you celebrate, my daughters and I wish you peace, love and happiness.

I am hearing…my wind chimes singing to me in the blustery winds outside….the ticking of my many clocks….an otherwise quiet house.

Around the house…projects to finish….presents to wrap….memories to enjoy.

Plans for the week include…finishing my Christmas shopping and wrapping….celebrating Christmas with my family….turning another year older.

One of my favorite things…the holidays.  During this time of year I love the montage of images and memories that come flooding back to me…Christmas when I was young at home…..Christmas when I was on my own and living away from family….Christmas with my daughters yesterday and today.  Sometimes bittersweet memories….lots of happy ones.

A picture I’d like to share with you…a few visitors to the bird feeder yesterday….