Is it Hard to Write?

Drake sent me an interview with a travel writer today.  I think he meant for me to read the answer to the question, "Is writing hard."  The paraphrased answer was, "No, it's a blank piece of paper to put words on.  Fighting a war, trying to beat a possibly fatal disease, etc, etc. is hard."  Of course, he's right.  I've been fighting the problem of not feeling like writing.  There are lots of reasons.  Some I've realized are I've been in more pain lately, we've been physically and mentally occupied with helping Drake's mom, the holiday craze (which, if I'm truthful, is just mild neuroses in my case), and being intimidated by more than 30,000 hits and 280 plus posts.  That last one is real reason.  I keep asking myself if I have more to say, or if anyone would care if I stopped writing.  Ideally, I have to get back to the place inside my head where I don't care who reads.  Also, it's a good sign that I should be packing to leave tomorrow for Texas, and I'm sitting here typing.

This is my favorite time of the year, and I wanted to share that feeling even if you're a bah, humbug type person during the holidays.  (I feel those people are necessary to keep the utter craziness this time of the year can engender in check.)  As a Christian I love the idea of the new beginning that Christmas symbolizes for me.  The music also does it for me in a way none other does.  I can not only hum all the music, but I can actually sing most of it.  It's thrilling to have an SIL (Jay) who can play carols as I sing them badly.  Jay and I had a few minutes of that in Connecticut.  I was so strongly reminded of the evening another pianist played hymns as I sang along.  He's passed to the next life, so singing along with a piano player is a sweet memory for me.

I've been teasing Sarah about her Christmas tree.  I posted a couple of pix on FB of the afternoon we decorated the gigantic tree in the tiny apartment.  This tree is eight feet of firry magnificence, and it is big enough to hold all her very special ornaments.  Each are little diamonds of  wonderful Christmas memories.  My mother started the tradition of giving Sarah Christmas ornaments each year, and recruited friends and family to do the same.  So, thanks to Grandma Jo's thoughtfulness, Sarah has a wonderful collection.  Her favorite ornament is the one my mother gave her when she was three, and it is ALWAYS placed first on the tree.  This year's ornament from Drake and me is "Yale", of course.  Sarah and Jay are now building their joint memories with ornaments they have acquired in their travels.  Decorating the tree is the start of Christmas for Sarah, Drake and I plus Jay, now.  What a joy it was for us to share that time with her this year.

Jackson, the family cat, was not quite as thrilled with the proceedings, but Drake was.

To close this impossibly sentimental posting, I'm sitting here with my coffee enjoying the electronic fireplace from Netflix as I listen to the Christmas carols accompanying it.  Even better....Drake is starting the laundry while I'm still being a slug.  Looking forward to being on the road tomorrow.  Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers, known and unknown.  I'm feeling thrilled I was able to write this, so maybe my frustration is passing and my writing will roar back in 2015.