Today’s post is dedicated to crochet hooks.
There’s so much to say about #Connecting yarn over and over again until it creates a human-sized blanket. It shows the power of persistence, taking one step (or loop) at a time.
It’s a good lesson to keep going, keep at it, and keep on keeping on.
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to wrapping.
I just finished wrapping (not rapping) all of Christmas. Let me just say … I love wrapping paper. I love #Connecting to the smell of it, the touch of it, the way the scissors cut through it, the way ribbons curl, and all the fun little ways to top gifts off too (like this cute little gnome!).
I love paper – I always have. But I especially love it during the holidays.
Do you?
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to winter winds.
The winds blew our back doors wide open today (even though the doors were locked). Gale force winds – that’s what the weather report is predicting and it seems to be coming true and right through the doors.
The U.S. National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots of sustained surface winds. But for me, it’s defined as the doors flying open when locked and blowing a pile of wet leaves on the floor inside the house.
We are so #Connected to the weather, it’s hard not to be influenced by it. Sleet, snow, rain and gale force winds included. The good news is that we still have power.
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to standing out.
As in Christmas ornaments. One of these things is not like the other – can you spot it in the photo?
HINT: it’s the one with the dent in the side.
I toyed with throwing it out today, it doesn’t look like the other perfectly round ornaments. It stands out and screams for attention. But then I thought — wow — what a wonderful quality.
Wouldn’t it be better if we all #Connected more and deeply celebrated with what makes people (and things) different? If we could unite around our differences? If we could find space for that kind of awareness and acceptance?
I know it’s a deep thought from a Christmas ornament. But… why not?
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to catching a thief.
His name is Brady.
He is convicted of stealing two chocolate chip cookies off the baking sheet that was sitting on top of the counter while waiting for the oven to heat.
The reason this crime is so extreme is that they were the LAST two cookies (and I didn’t get any today!).
Brady’s punishment was to #Connect with his kennel and to think deeply about what he did wrong. Which was pretty much a review of everything he did right to sneak into the kitchen and stealthily steal the cookies in broad daylight.
He is asleep next to me now, no doubt dreaming about how to do it all over again. It’s a good thing he is so darn cute.
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Todays post is dedicated to Christmas Shopping Friends.
Today I visited the Capitol of Christmas, the Mecca of St. Nick, or as those of us in New England call it —Christmas Tree Shops.
It was packed with everything you might need for the holidays including shoppers. As I waited in the checkout line that wrapped almost to the back of the store I #Connected with the woman standing in line behind me.
We compared finds and deals and she showed me her haul and described how she was going to augment the little Christmas trees for her outside patio.
I have to say it felt like pre-2020 era holiday shopping – the kind where you talk to strangers while standing in line waiting for something special, with shelves stocked full!
Most of all it felt like a human connection not centered around the aftermath of a pandemic but the preparation for the holiday ahead.
May we all be merry and bright and safe.
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Tonight’s post is dedicated to cookies!
It’s a cookie day! One that is “almost homemade” and maybe the next best thing (frozen dough from Whole Foods to be exact).
How can you not #Connect with a chocolate chip cookie?
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to early morning coffee.
I’m going to make this one short and sweet because of a 2am wake-up call today and another one ahead of me. This very large cup of coffee got me through the day as I #Connected with my team overseas.
Sometimes coffee can be a great connector (or wake-up call).
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to Christmas Tree Lights.
It was a small feat to get this tree to stand up straight on its own. It was almost a defeat (maybe there was one tear of frustration) but it finally came together.
We still have to put the ornaments on the tree but for now, the lights and the angel on top will do — because it’s standing up straight!
It makes me #Connect back to every Christmas that came before and all the Christmas holidays before that too. Maybe it’s a silly tradition to put a tree up inside a house in the middle of the winter? Or maybe it’s a beautiful way to connect with a time-honored tradition and the memories of the holidays of yore?
Maybe it doesn’t matter the reason why, because the fact is, a tree all lit up with lights in the middle of the dark brings me joy.
And isn’t that the point?
More tomorrow,
Jamie
Today’s post is dedicated to Dorothy Hammil.
Or more specifically, MyEyeDr.
I ripped a contact this weekend and while half of it fell out of my eye, the other half tucked itself up inside and refused to come out. It was a painful 48 hours and I was worried that I scratched my cornea.
The good news is that I #Connected with my eye doctor today and the jagged little thing is out — and my eye is not scratched. I suppose the other good news is that I walked away with two new pairs of eyeglasses.
I have worn glasses since I was a little girl in elementary school. I can still remember my first pair. They were branded “Dorothy Hammil” and the temples were adhered to the bottom of the frame and then swooped up. I thought they were the coolest most stylish thing on earth for my four little eyes and tiny little body.
Apparently, they were, because that style is “coming back” according to the optician. I’m not sure I am ready to go back to my super stylish Dorothy Days, but I was inspired to try a new “look” — instead of regular-sized frames, we outfitted my prescription with larger sunglass frames. I am either going to LOVE this or LOATHE it but I can’t wait to find out.
In the meantime, I have new contacts on order and new glasses on the way, and most important, a healthy cornea.
And …a sweet #Connection to the little girl with the four eyes inside of me who wasn’t afraid to try on something new.
More tomorrow,
Jamie
TGIF. F*ing Fridays are back! And, they will continue to occur on Friday. I mentioned some of my favorite F words back on Day 5 in Year 1, including: Fearless, Fabulous, Fine, Fun, Faith, Freedom, Forgiveness, to name a Few. Last week I dove into the word Flip Flops. Today’s F*ing Friday is dedicated to the […]
TGIF. Today continues the weekly series, F*ing Fridays, which will coincidentally occur on Friday. I mentioned some of my favorite F words back on Day 5, including: Fearless, Fabulous, Fine, Fun, Faith, Freedom, Forgiveness, to name a Few. Last week I dove into the word Festivities. Today’s F*ing Friday is dedicated to the word: Finale. […]
You’ve made it. Over the hump of 2011 and looking directly at the other side. Approximately six months left to go, 181 days to mark on the calendar. Today concludes this four-part series, In The Middle. Day 4: Soul I wonder what Lewis and Clark thought as they hoofed it across North America, did they high-five […]
Have you ever felt like you were just supposed to be somewhere at a certain time ~ even though it wasn’t planned, you couldn’t predict it and never expected it? But there you found yourself anyway? That’s how I felt this week having to rush off the island with Pup’s little emergency. It put me […]
It feels like summertime and the shopping is easy. Here in Mexico one can’t escape the local vendors. They come to you. Whether sitting at a restaurant or sitting on the beach. Se vende? Want a new silver bracelet? Want a bright pink strapless beach dress? Want a kabob with shrimp and papaya? It’s so […]
The Promise 365 