Holiday season starters

I realized about halfway through the month of November that one side effect of NaBloPoMo, (for me anyway), was that I probably wouldn't have time to make any changes or additions to the blog itself. All my blog time was focused on posting, any improvements just had to wait. So while NaBloPoMo had some very positive results, and it's actually easier for me to post regularly now, I will probably take a day off here and there to take care of some of those things that fell by the wayside in November.

Today is the first day that it started to feel like the holiday season to me. This afternoon I hung my lights along the edge of the balcony and looking at them now, I wonder why I don't just have some sort of lighting out there year round. It just looks so cheerful and happy. I remember last year I didn't hang them and why. No amount of pretty icicle lights were going to make me cheerful and happy - I was in a swirl of stress and strain, dog-paddling like mad to keep my head above water and all I could think of was when it would be over so I could collapse and sleep. Looking back now, I can't believe I was so miserable and unable to recognize it.

This evening I went out walking around town for our annual Shop at Home Night. (Another thing I didn't do last year). No actual shopping takes place, you just go from store to store, collecting stamps on a card to win a prize, filling out raffle tickets at each store, munching cookies, and at the best stores - indulging in a little adult beverage. It's really a locals event, everyone is out and about and as much of a hermit as I am these days, this was a fairly major social event for me. I feel rewarded for leaving my cozy little shell because I did get to spend a little time with someone I like and rarely get to see!

Tomorrow I'll top that excursion with an even more social occasion, the Open House at the Inn on Mt. Ada. It's usually packed with people and since this year I am not working (either at the event or anywhere else!) my strategy is to arrive at 2pm when the event begins, grab a prime spot outside with a good view and settle in to watch the people around me, feast on cookies, relax and enjoy myself. Should be lots of great photo opportunities, so the task for this evening is to charge up the battery on my camera and select the right knitting project to take with me.