Friday 26 December 2008

Post Christmas Musings

Another Christmas come and gone, all that worry, all that preparation, spending, wrapping, posting, buying and ''organizing''.............all done and dusted for another year. And I'm happy to report I've survived this mammoth, annual, stress-buster more or less intact.

Everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) was completed in my house by the morning of Christmas Eve. Two of my three daughters and ALL of my grandchildren were visiting and eating lunch in my house that day, the other daughter had to work which was a bit of a shame. After lunch I went back with my eldest daughter and her daughter to spend Christmas with them. Back at her house we, that is the granddaughter and I,  made mince pies, did some last minute wrapping, made orange and clove ball table decorations and made our authentic yule log out of cotton wool, old Christmas cards, glitter and a piece of driftwood. After our evening meal off we all went to the town square to participate in Carol Singing and Mulled Wine,  accompanied by the local brass band, and all very civilized. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera so the only photo I have is a very poor quality snap taken with my 'phone. Better than nothing I guess.
Christmas day started at about 4 am. This is when my granddaughter woke up for the first time and asked me for the time, she then woke up more or less every half hour until 6.30 when I allowed her to put the light on and start chatting, at which point she woke her parents and Christmas day began in earnest. It passed in a blur of food, wine, movies and the sound of wrapping paper being torn apart with great gusto. By the evening exhaustion set in and off to bed we went, grateful to sink into oblivion. Thankfully every one slept quite late on Boxing day and after a late, leisurely breakfast (did I really need MORE food??) my bags were packed and I was taken home..............so.............here I am.

 Post Christmas, back in my own little house, alone, mulling over the events of the last couple of days and thinking about what changes I need to make to my life over the coming year.

The obvious and usual are top of the list.......''I really do need to lose weight and get more exercise'', nothing new there, I think that every year. But I suppose this year I should make more of an effort than I have in the past, my health really deserves it, needs it even. But on a more positive note; I'm going to try to do a lot more drawing and painting. At the moment I only seem to find time to do it in class but what I should be doing, is drawing and painting most days if not every day. What I would like, my own little dream, is to have enough work of sufficient quality to stage a small exhibition. This is something I am going to work toward.

Which brings me back to here.............my Multiply page and you..... my friends. This has all been such a wonderful experience for me this year, I have loved being online, getting involved in every thing, and getting to know every one. I think if I am serious about drawing a bit more and maybe taking an exercise class I shall have less time here. Less online time should just mean posting a bit less but still keeping in touch with people.  At least thats they way I hope it pans out because I really have enjoyed every thing here over the last year and don't intend to lose it.


Oh...........another change, I am going back to restricting my posts to contacts only, at least for a while. This is due to the only blot on my happy Christmas experience. I've discovered a person who I don't much want contact with has been 'hanging' about my site, this person has set up their own multiply site in order to leave little messages for me, not quite sure why, but the easiest way of dealing with this is to keep my posts for network only. SO.............for a while at least that is what I'm going to do. I'm sure I've said this before in a similar situation but.........if you can't access anything just let me know and I'll add you as a contact.


There are of course the little glitches, or ''blips'' with multiply, odd things do happen and seem to be happening to more people more often, so my sincere New Year wish is for Multiply to sort out all of its little problems. At the moment I think I am one of the people who are receiving email alerts from ''Multiply friends'' offering dubious links. And of course I still can't use my media locker, that has been out of bounds to  me for ages. Then there are the countless people who suddenly find they are unable to post or who double post every thing, or who can't comment..............etc etc etc.............the list goes on. BUT; despite all the little so called glitches I love the multiply experience and hope to spend next year building on it.


Well...............guess thats it for my post-Christmas Musings, guess the only thing left for me is to wish each and every one of you a very, very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

22 comments:

  1. I'm glad you enjoyed your Christmas. I did too and, thank goodness, still have a few days of holiday left. I've had my page 'network protected' for a long time and have blocked some. Hopefully that annoying person will get tired and give up. As I've said before, it's something that I don't understand. Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

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  2. i need to do better with the weight and excercise (and taking more care of what i eat!), too. maybe we should make some sort of a collective effort; safety in numbers, and all of that. your holidays sound fabulous, ours were, too. HUGS

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  3. It sounds like you have enjoyed a truly blessed Christmas and your goals for this new year sound inspired. I'm still awed by the P.P.P.P gems. I too need to balance online with other activities. Multiply is a great place (the gliches aside /:-)

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  4. glad yll went well during the holiday for you-
    my new years resolutions haven't been formed yet hehehe
    but we all need a little more excersice and eat a little less hehehe

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  5. enjoyed your post Loretta and sounds like your christmas was wonderful. I don't have problems any more to block people here that are pests and bother me, or make me feel uncomfortable. I do like to share alot of my posts to everyone, but the ones on a more personal level I have changed recently to my network or contacts only as well.
    would you like me to start healthy mondays back up? we can focus on exercise and healthier eating more.
    I started back on the quilt I am making for my cancer fighting friend. I just couldn't get it done before christmas, but am hoping to mail it to him by new years eve.
    I then promised Larry to get back on my rock shower project-and then when that is finished and the other rocking around the tub area, we can do everything else to the bathroom to get that room done. I am going to do some faux techniues on the wall, and perhaps some stamping of flowers as well.
    Happy New Year

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  6. Exercise is so hard in the winter because I cannot get outdoors for too long, or don't wish to. So I walk on the treadmill (boring) or do not walk at all and then I don't sleep as well. It sounds like you had a delightful Christmas (except for the being awakened part and even that has a certain charm).

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  7. Good evening Loretta, just stopping by to wish you a good weekend and to leave something to think about. I got to thinking about art, poetry and traditional Christmas stories and music. This comes to mind:

    "The lights of stars that were extinguished ages ago still reaches us. So it is with great men who died centuries ago, but still reach us with the radiations of their personalities."... Kahlil Gibran

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  8. I don't think that this could be better stated. In fact, next year I may wait until the New Year to send cards and put that as the inscription. I am enjoying a weekend of peace and quiet, hope that you are also.

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  9. Sounds like a real nice Christmas, glad you had a good time.

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  10. When I was a kid, there was a period between Christmas and New Years when my mother and we three children, off from school, used to spend the days relaxing, playing and laughing. That is such a pleasant memory I never feel like Christmas is over until - sometime in January, actually.

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  11. HI I LOVED YOUR CHRISTMAS DAY STORY WHAT FUN. THE PICTURES ARE GREAT AND SHAME ABOUT UR LITTLE STALKER. WISHING YOU A GREAT NEW YEAR. I HOPE TO CONNECT MORE WITH MY FRINDS IN 09 AND YEP LOSE WEIGHT WOULD BE GOOD ALSO. HAVE A GREAT DAY . DEB

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  12. it sounds like a most wonderful Christmas time, shared with the most special people.... you were very well organized and made the time to enjoy it all.... Happy New Year to you, too.....

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  13. Report those email problems to customer service. I did and they stopped. I was getting links and mail from people I dont even know. I even blocked them and it didnt stop. It is a Multiply glitch.

    Lots of people have said they will be spending less time here and thats ok. We should be living real life anyway. Once this house gets on the market Im sure Ill be here less too and then offline awhile till I find a new home. This is just my entertainment since tv is awful. Ive made alot of friends tho and I will keep in touch with them on here still because I enjoy it.

    Sounds like you had a very nice Christmas, Im glad. Cant wait to see what other pictures you draw, you have a way with faces that I wish I could do . Hugs.

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  14. Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by, hope your Christmas was good and yes................maybe Healthy Mondays would be a good idea..........I really am very over weight now and have realized I must do something about it.

    Its just a vicious circle with me, my arthritis got to the point where I found exercise difficult, so I did less, which made me able to do even less...........all the while I eat more to cheer my self up which means I put on more weight and can exercise less and put on motre weight.........LOL.......yep time has come to get myself inhand and all/and suggestions gratefully received.

    I find it so difficult to be that disciplined with myself..............but guess the time has come to DO something.
    Enjoy the rest of your holidays.

    Loretta

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  15. Thanks Frank................ohhhh I like your idea of doing it all in January..........maybe even buy the cards and presents in the January sales...LOL..........but somehow it just wouldn't be the same.

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  16. Hi everybody and how nice to see you all here...............yep Christmas was good this year just hope it was good for you folks too. Think my little cyber-stalker got the message, I left this post open to every one so that should do the trick. Maybe I should be worried..........not the first time this has happened to me maybe I attract weirdos! Anyway..........I seem to have broken one of my aspirations for the new year already........I was going to get on with a little drawing today but instead I have spent quite a while catching up with people here and having a look around.............Ahhh well...........tomorrows another day as they say.
    Happy New year to every one.............enjoy the rest of your holidays

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  17. Psssssst .......its not the new year yet so its ok (wink)

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  18. :) THANKS, never thought of that so I feel less guilty now :-) LOL

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  19. I''m thinking post-Christmas, too, & I think your experience sounds pretty good! As for New Year's resolutions, I don't make those, but admire those who do. Have Fun & NO GUILT if you're doing your personal best, that's all that matters! Cheers to the New Year, too!

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  20. wish you all the best in the coming year of 2009 Loretta!

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  21. I'm so happy to hear your Christmas was a good one. In spite of my fears to the contrary, mine was a really good one too. I am counting my blessings Loretta, and I count you as one of them. Looking forward to the New Year, hope it is a good one for all of us!! ((HUGS))

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  22. I guess the best thing to do is totally ignore the person that's doing some passive/aggressive stalking of you. Totally ignore them. You can't change their behaviour, even though the thought of them trying to 'get at' you is so irritating. If you accept to yourself that there's nothing you can do to change 'them', then what you need to do is reject and ignore, and when they post immediately delete their comments. You can block them and then they won't be able to comment at all. Don't feel bad about this! I've had to do it too. It's part of the beauty of being in a social network. I've found that most people I've known have been caring individuals, but then you'll get some needy soul who desires attention that does not sit well with you, and because this person has 'issues' they've made you a target. It's sad that they are like this, but one has to give such a person up to God and move on. You're on the internet to have fun and enjoy good company, but you don't owe anyone who's trying to spoil that for you because of their own issues. I think sometimes we are always going to find people like that, it's just part of being in an online community.

    Actually, Loretta, it's good that you've shared this because I've found that when people speak up about problems, others feel some kindred spirit about it, so keep up the good empathatic word!

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