something in the air

Despite fond memories of Fall, I'm not entirely sorry that it's almost over. Even though  Fall does this thing where she dances back and forth between warm and cold, sunny and gloomy. one day strolling in short sleeves the next flirting with freezing, back and forth, ...but who can blame her? she is after all posed on the cusp between summer and winter. And she has that special light, the one that makes magical things happen, things that charm everyone around her. So I patiently wait and let her do her thing. Eventually she will introduce winter. winter with his monochrome decorating scheme, crystal storms, winter wonderlands...delivered right to your door step, no less! everything  powdered and frosted and dusted by white. Farewell Fall, I will miss you, it's been swell.

I can't help but wonder, is there something in the air lately? I mean besides the usual nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide? and  is it just me or does this seem to happen every year about this time? What le heck? I am almost starting to think there is something seasonal to it. The other day while I had the luxury of a few lucid moments to myself I started thinking about the up coming holidays. ding! ding! ding! I'm not a genius dude, but could there possibly be a connection? I'm dangerous, I know. Life itself has been a bit challenging lately, but throw in the holidays, and~oh, lordy~this may just unravel my last nerve. In a conversation with my sister recently, I used the word stressed no less than 16 times (she used it more than 20), needless to say it was a five star rant, full of manic, multi-tasking energy that I have become scathingly guilty of lately.

Also, I'm feeling my "inner schucky" more, I've been having nightmares really unsettling dreams...feeling restless. waiting for the other shoe to drop kinda feeling. other things too. cracking my knuckles. writing in all CAPS, swearing more (well, more than usual) and then there is my exhaustive fight with exhaustion. and, just to get this straight, now I am also ranting about ranting. That's right!, so clearly I've been all over the place emotionally. I dunno, at least I have not done anything crazy like shave my head or pour a bucket of paint on the living room rug. Still. Something in the air. I have been working non-stop for the past few months trying to wrap up Fall and welcome winter. All this has made me sorta loopy. I feel at times like a cross between a buzzed college kid and a giggly five year old. So, as you can well imagine, I have been a joy to be around, not to mention an easy target. Something in the air.

Oh, I almost forgot! on top of everything else we are now in full holiday mode! Halloween, done. Thanksgiving, 2 days. Christmas, right around the corner. So given my

fondness for Christmas and my obsession for holiday decorating, well my obsessiveness in general, it's no secret that I look forward to this every year since it really is my "get out of jail free" card to indulge in all of the aforementioned vices with complete and utter abandon. And let's not forget, it also allows me to indulge in another of my not-so-secret addictions ...baking Christmas cookies. Seriously, who comes up with this stuff? I would love to meet the PR guy who came up with this idea and give them a big, fat kiss on the mouth. I couldn't have dreamed up a better scam myself. 

Like the big hair and pageant makeup of the sixties, there is something disgustingly sweet yet wildly shocking about the amount of decorating I do. The hubs has taken to calling it my  Shock and Awe campaign. I pull out box after glittery box. for weeks on end it is just me and my beloved decorations, which I line up like little soldiers waiting to be hung, strung or otherwise turned into fabulous Christmas charm. Getting back into the holiday decorating saddle is a heady and seducing sensation for me. unwrapping my ornaments is akin to greeting long lost friends...oh, baby, how I have missed you all. So, I say to heck with pretending to be immune to all of the snowmen, santas, glittery bulbs, red trappings and gaudy reindeer, I adore them. I probably didn't need to point that out again, but I'm driving it home. M'kay?

Snow, Christmas lights, buying the perfect gift for someone, drinking hot chocolate, fruit cake (that's right), Christmas carols. I love them. just adore it all. I love sending Christmas cards and special wishes to those who are near and dear to my heart. baking and giving away Christmas cookies. I really do LOVE IT! actually, at times I may love it a bit too hard. I am always trying to squeeze in just a little more twinkling, baking and general holiday merry making. So I decided this next year things would go down differently. I am thinking more towards the all is calm rather than the all is crazy bright angle. Hopefully. It is an admirable goal even though the art of being a single-tasker is not one that I possess. But I have over twelve months to get my head there. to prepare. make my lists. baby sit it. conscientiously mind it, and...... here is the kicker, actually follow through.

I know. 

something in the air.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(click here for recipe)

enjoy!