A Christmas Poem

'Tis the week before Christmas, and all through the town,

Credit cards are up, and bank balances are down.

With the season of Giving getting into full swing,

The Children are wondering what Santa will bring.

Shopping malls are filled from morning till night,

As Everyone tries to find something "just right".

Houses are decorated, Menorah's are lit,

Too many snacks mean our clothes don't quite fit.

People are travelling, Cookies are made,

Presents still to be wrapped, and the table to be laid.

For some a religion, for many a Belief,

For some, when it's over, a huge relief.

The Holidays remind us of who we have lost,

Of what we have Done, and was there a cost?

We promise to be better, and have more direction,

Just one more chance, and we'll try for perfection.

Back to Shopping - just in case we haven't gotten it all,

Maybe it's time to drive back to the Mall?

That last minute sale - that Special thing we must get.
Are we trying too hard? Are we having Fun yet? 

Christmas Carols, parties and trees that are faux,

We are running out of Time, so we decide not to go.

It all seems so much, too many to Please,

And dammit, why is it so hard to put colored lights on trees?

But our intentions are good,
And we are sorry for freaking.
I guess our Joy got a little lost, and could do with some tweaking.

Because Children are happiest when they are with Us,

So forget all the shopping, and forget all the fuss.

Spend time with Family and Friends that are dear,

Add Kindness to your list, and have a Peaceful New Year!

The Dog Ate My Comforter

About eight years ago I found the most deliciously soft comforter cover in the entire world. It was the color of farm fresh cream; the softest, thickest, warmest cotton imaginable, and it was chenille; not that awful, shiny chenille that feels like something you would insulate your attic with, the lovely, old fashioned, grandma kind. The type of chenille that you want to lie on for hours, gently pulling out the short pieces of cotton when your mom isn't looking, then wondering how to cover up the little holes that were left behind.

That type of chenille. You know the one I mean.
And then we got a dog. A dog who was never technically allowed on my bed, but would sneak up in the middle of the night when he knew I was asleep (or too tired to yell at him). He wouldn't move, and he decided that if he avoided eye contact in the morning I wouldn't see him (kind of like when I take the garbage out in my nightie at 6am not wearing my glasses - if I can't see properly then I am sure that my neighbor driving by can't see me in all my disheveled glory).

So, eventually the dog and I stopped pretending, and he began to sleep on the bed while I was working in my office. And, he would lick the comforter (not so strange, because he also licks the polyurethane off the floors).
After a while, I noticed a bare patch where the chenille used to be, but I didn't actually twig as to what was happening; I just moved the chenille around, and assumed the washer and dryer had eaten the cotton. Unfortunately, about a year later, I had four giant, empty patches on my comforter where the dog had licked off the chenille, and it had gone from being the most beautiful thing in my bedroom to something extremely sad.

Because I loved it so, I kept it for another year, but the licking continued, and after several failed attempts to throw it away, I finally put on my big girl pants and put it in the garbage bin.
I looked for ages, but I couldn't find another one like it (well, I did see one on Ebay for sale, but it was in Australia and the cost was almost as much as an airplane ticket) so I made do with a cheapie that was dog-proof, kind of okay, and sort of went with the color of my room.

But it wasn't cotton - it felt unnaturally smooth, almost unpleasant to the touch, and cold all the time. I have no idea what it was made of, but the dog sure as heck wasn't interested in licking it.

Then, this last weekend, a friend was doing a Spring clean, and asked if I needed a comforter set. A bit adverse to comforter sets (visions of 90's polyester bed-in-a-bag still haunt me) I was prepared to not like it. And then she showed me the color and pattern; it was simply beautiful, but completely wrong for my small bedroom with the dark brown walls, so I said no thank you.

A short while late I was showing my daughter, and we decided to open the package and pull the comforter set out. Inside was the softest, coziest cotton that I had felt in a long time.
On the spot, I decided to take the gift, change my bedroom around, and repaint the walls to match my new comforter ...

p.s. We rescued Toby about five years ago; he is a German Shepherd mix, and loves cuddles, country music and chenille.