Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Such Good News


Mr. Moon just sent me that picture and it is quite fitting in that he received news from the surgeon today that indeed, he has a hematoma and no further treatment is necessary. 
There. 
That. 
Done and done. Bring on the rainbows! 

Here's another picture. 


Levon was not sure about that turkey. "That's the biggest turkey I've ever seen!" he kept saying which made me wonder how many turkeys the child has seen. When I asked him to pose with the handsome bird, that was as close as he'd get. "He might peck me," he said. He has been pecked by domestic fowl before so...probably a good call.

I did go to town today. Sort of. I got as far as a restaurant right off the interstate (ten minute drive from my house) to meet that boy and his mom for lunch. It's a "farm-to-table" joint and I think they do grow a lot of what they serve. Plus they have turkeys, chickens, rabbits, and ducks. And two guinea fowl. 


They also have citrus trees and papayas. 


There were so many papayas and they were all full of fruit. One tree had been pulled over by the abundance of its fruit. 
"How many papayas does one restaurant need?" I asked Jessie. 
She did not know. 
While we were eating, darling women gardeners wearing darling women gardening garments kept walking through the restaurant with a cup of tea or something. There were braids and tattoos and floppy hats. 
"Do you suppose one of the requirements to be a gardener here is that you have to be young, cute, and female?" I asked Jessie. 
"Definitely," she said. 
After lunch we walked out to see the critters and the gardens, and the ducks made me remember with such fondness the ducks I used to have. We adopted them after Kathleen left us. Do any of you remember them? Two females and after they'd jump in the tiny little water feature thing we have in the camellia bed, they would become randy and make sweet duck love with each other. They were such curious, charming creatures, chatting all through the day in their quacky voices. The ducks we saw today were incredibly focused on finding...something...in the muck created by run-off from where their pool had been filled up. Levon loved them. He said, "I want to be a duck."
I said, "Really? Would you want eat whatever it is that they're eating?"
"Well, not really," he said, "But it looks like it might be sort of wonderful."

So all of that was really fun and Jessie was so kind to me. I told her while we were eating that I guessed I was going to have to go to the mall. She was horrified. She knows me so well. 
"Why?" she asked. 
"Well, I have to get your daddy something and they have that big and tall shop in Dillard's and he needs some new shirts."
"Oh mama," she said. "Find him something online."
By this time I had teared up. Even the prospect of dealing with the mall was so overwhelming. My daughter encouraged me to do all the rest of my shopping online. "It's okay," she said. 
And I believe her. 

It's truly weird how every year my Christmas anxiety increases. When it first really started up, I thought it was an aberration and would surely pass but instead, it's become an intense physical resistance along with the emotional resistance. I just can't do it. I can't even put up my funky little creche that I always bring out. I always used to set a tiny Buddha behind the baby Jesus to remind us that we are all god, really, in a way. Hank put him there once a long, long time ago and I have adopted that practice. I decorated with magnolia branches and twinkle lights. I put my favorite ornaments on a tree. I, I...
I can't. 

So I came home and I bought some things online and don't even ask me what I bought. It's all a blur. I know I have not yet bought my husband anything. 
I hemmed a dress. I made a soup. I punched down my bread dough that I made this morning. I did the things that I love, that calm me, that soothe me. 

Everything is okay. My man is okay, my kids are okay, my grandkids are okay. One of these years, if I am given enough time, I may figure out this Christmas thing. 
Or not. And in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter in the least. 

Love from your odd and confused friend...Ms. Moon






20 comments:

  1. Don't worry about Christmas is, I think, the message. It's not supposed to be a big ordeal! I think you got good advice there. No mall!

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  2. And I hit publish before I said I was happy with Mr moon's good health report.

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  3. glad to hear positive Mr Moon report! Mall? NO! Christmas? NO, no, no. don't go there. Family and love are all that matter. Don't stress. It will all fall into place in time. I'm trying not to stress either LOL......being a *non* Christmas for me this year. And I do remember Kathleen's ducks!
    Susan M

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    1. PS Levon makes the best *faces* LOL! What a poser!
      Susan M

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  4. I am glad to hear that Mr. Moon got a clear report. I'm glad that you have a daughter who is as wise as her mother. And...I am glad that Levon is NOT a duck.

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  5. i get it. even though my life is 100% different and improved then when i was young, i still abhor christmas and everything to do with it. i feel very fortunate we really don't put that pressure on each other to do gifts (although this year we are getting our main drain hydrojetted out and joked that was our present....) tony handles the stuff for his family as far as making the list and wrapping everything, and i order what my share is from amazon. xxalainaxx

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  6. A hematoma, hell yeah! That's wonderful news.

    I had to buy a turkey today because my daughter in law, my grandson and his half sister and my daughter in law's male friend are coming for supper on Sunday. Welcome to my world:)

    Jack came back home today and his fucking mother gave him another fucking diaper rash. This one was so bad that he was screaming and crying. He's had diarrhea. He was at her daycare, the one she's working at. Fuck I was mad!

    But tomorrow I will have lunch with an old friend and it will be lovely.

    Just try to think of Christmas as just another day, a Sunday in this case, which I know is not your favorite day. Maybe have a drink, or two. Sending hugs sweetie. I wish it wasn't so hard for you.

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    1. Oh Pixie, Gracie is such a f.....ing cow! I'm so sorry she can't even look after her own son!

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  7. This Christmas mania is completely out of hand (society's, not yours!). Susan M is right: "Family and love are all that matter." And that you have down pat.

    Once we decided to do charitable donations in peoples' names, Christmas became a whole lot more Christmas-spirity for me. Of course, we have no young'uns, and young'uns NEED presents. And everyone has to do the holidays in a way that works (or not) for them - not saying my way is the right way for anyone else.

    Chris from Boise

    PS Sourdough starter came back to life after several more feedings and proofings in a warm oven. I appreciated your suggestion about adding wholewheat flour - that would have been my next step.

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    1. Hi! Can't help myself- i'm in Idaho too and *love* Ms. Mary Moon also!

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  8. Everything is OK and you will be too, dear Mary.
    Online shopping was designed for people like thee and me. It is, literally, a life saver. I refuse to go to the big shopping centres. Local shops only and only then a quick dash in and out.
    I watch less and less television as the christmas ads become more and more intense. We don't need this shit in our lives.

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  9. Hang in there Mrs. M!!! Christmas will be over soon! And yes it's wonderful new about Mr. Moon!

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  10. It is an anxious time of year! I'm glad Mr. Moon's news was definitively good. That's got to be a huge relief. I'm not even buying anything this year, I'm such a terrible Christmas-er! I do remember your ducks. I haven't thought of them in ages.

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  11. I am happy for Mr. Moon's good news. You have so many fun family gatherings throughout the year so this will be another happy birthday celebration with your kids and grandkids. No need to mention Christmas at all if it troubles you. Just family and love is all you need...

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  12. Yay!! Great reason to celebrate.! I saw Rudolph the other for the first time in many, many years. I realized Santa is really an asshole! A regular St. Dick. I can’t wait for the season to be over.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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  13. Yay for good news. A mall at this time or year (or any time of year for that matter), no fucking way. Life became so much easier, less stressful, less expensive when we got to the point of not giving (or getting) presents. Not to each other, not to the kids, not to the grand kids (they are all adults now). Saves everyone stress. My sister is the only person I exchange gifts with and that's because she refuses to not give me one.

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  14. I'm so glad I'm not alone about my feelings for Christmas...and it wasn't always so. No idea how I grew into it but can't do it anymore. This is the first year I didn't even put out the wreath.

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  15. I love Jessie. What a gem.

    Still have a paper from our first year of preschool (3 or 4 yrs old) saying when i grow up i want to be a doggie and work at McDonald's. Sometimes i look back on it and think, hey girl, you've come a long way. :)

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  16. "I did the things that I love, that calm me, that soothe me." and that's how you get through. Along with online shopping. And hugs, from anyone who will give them.

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  17. Have you ever looked at Duluth Trading (online) for tall man clothes? Not a fan of their marketing, but they specialize in big/tall.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.