Believe

Well it always comes, doesn't it, sneaking up so quickly after months of waiting.

Like a long-lost friend; different each time, but essentially the same at the core, Christmas arrives with its traditions, expectations, frustrations, sadness.

The next twenty-four hours will be a whirl of activity and "too-muches":

• too much work
• too much food
• too much under the tree
• too much family
• too much commercialism
• too much everything!

And yet, I am glad of those too-muches.  I hug them closely.  I remember other years, where other women did the work and I was the one under the tree playing with the toys.  There will be Christmases ahead where others will do the cooking.  There will be Christmases where I will be simply a story told around the table.

That's okay.

Because you know what?  I believe.

I still hear the bell.  Santa Clause, and his spirit, will always exist in me.

I believe in

• love
• friendship
• letting go
• holding tight
• fairy dust
• the way the world can conspire to get us what we need if we just open our hearts fully
• sadness, because haven't we all had a Christmas that didn't "cut the mustard"?  A Christmas where we were heartbroken, financially broken, sad?  If you haven't then count yourselves among the lucky, though to be honest, I wouldn't trade the bad times - they are our teachers and we need them to fully appreciate the good times
• caring
• sharing
• waking up early on Christmas Day and laying in bed and thinking "it came!"
• peace and fellowship, the energy of which may not last the other 364 days of the years, but whose energy cannot help but permeate
• reaching out when someone needs help
• respecting when someone doesn't want your help
• toys
• choral music
• The Chieftains
• Bing Crosby
• Nat King Cole
• The Pogues
• faith
• belief - because when we believe in something bigger than ourselves, something grander, we don't feel quite so alone

Most of all on this day, I think of children the world over, children who need our love and our money and our goodwill.  Children who deserve the same opportunities to be loved, to play, to succeed.  

God willing, there will be other Christmases.  But this Christmas, in all of its glories and its warts, is a gift.  And I believe in saying thank you for a gift.

So: THANK YOU!

I hope that whatever your faith, however you celebrate this season of the winter solstice, you take some time to be with your family and friends and reflect on your multitude of blessings.  I know I will.

Merry Christmas to you all and much love!  Your stopping by to say hello always makes me so happy and makes me feel so humble and thankful.  Truly, you are the Magi for me!

xoxo Wendy

No Man is a Failure who has friends

We hosted our annual Christmas dinner for our pals last nights.

There are 12 of us and it is a lot of work and so much fun!

I set the table in the morning - love the plaid - is almost the MacLeod Hunter tartan!

Besides large bouquets, I did, a few sprigs of cedar in a small
vase is so lovely this time of year!

Teddy was in the middle, overseeing all

The Theme was "It's a Wonderful Life",
so I made every person a small bell ornament that I
also used as a napkin ring

One of the bouquets I made

And the other

The liquor cart, awaiting action!

Ah, and then: Dim the Lights.....

Don't you love the fairy lights under Teddy?

Everyone had their own crackers and more fairy lights...

Hostess with the Mostest.
All old except for the Calvin Klein $15 pink sequin skirt!

Barry, with bowtie....

There were props...

Movie Star Looks

A dance party is about ready to break out....

And it did!  There was much frivolity and sequins and satin and velvet and a dash of royal purple.  And then the shoes came off and the music came on and it was every person for themselves.

In the theme of no man (or woman) is a failure who has friends, I took the opportunity to write a love letter to every single one of my friends.  I share this, because the joy I experienced putting pen to paper is one of the greatest gifts I have ever received - writing to each of them, telling them why I love them, was a chance to express my love in a real and tangible way.

I will post at least once more before Christmas, but knew you would get a kick out of this!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

xoxo wendy

I'm All About the Folding, 'bout the folding, no wrinkles...

After two heartfelt posts surely you knew I would have to come up for air?

I blame this post on Dani.

Yes, that Dani - she of the classic tweedy style and stoves that I might crawl into and live in like a hobbit under a hillock...

So she told me about that damn tidying book.

I haven't really had time to "do" the book yet, what with work and Christmas and all, but I did my office (8 garbage bags later!) and then moved on to the current season's wardrobe, because well, I couldn't resist and frankly, I don't have a huge wardrobe anyway.

And I'm not going to lie.  I was intrigued about the folding.  And then Patricia (or was it Marie?) mentioned the videos of the konmari folding method online.

So I watched them. And re-watched them, since, if truth be told, I do not naturally lend myself to that kind of thing (for example, I still don't really know how to tie my shoes like everyone else.  I just tie them.  I guess I could learn, but I've managed this many years so why bother?).

And then friends, I became a folding machine.

I folded here
I folded there
I folded all
my underwear
I folded high
I folded low
and if i could
I'd fold the snow!

damn, the green sweater up front is slight askew!
I'm going to have to run up and take care of that...

Barry's tshirts!  He is using the konmari method now!

I see folding myself into bed every night, arms tucked in just so, legs folded up twice, until I am a neat little rectangle tucked into my neat little rectangle bed.

There's a picture book in that.  Or a psychiatrist.  You decide....

xoxo Wendy

oh and as per the post title:



Just imagining me in this, only folding....

The Joy of deeds well done, beginning with me...

Earlier this week I wrote about being zen as I go about my Christmas business.

Lest you think I am some kind of super-hero or fembot, I must disabuse you of this fantasy - it ain't easy.  There is a little voice that sits in the back of my head that says snippy, snotty things at times.

Mostly, it says snippy snotty things to me.

But I am a work in progress and it is progress I seek.

True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

And speaking of Antoine de Saint-Exupery, my good friend GetFresh shared the advance trailer for The Little Prince movie set to be released in 2015.  I thought it so lovely, I wanted to share it here:

I can't remember when I first read The Little Prince, probably in middle or high school.  But it touched me deeply, this story of knowing what to prioritize and what to let go.

Here in the season of light, we need to remember this secret.  It really is so simple, and we know it when we see it: the baby's laugh, a loyal dog, a hand extended,

a cafe manager in Sydney

a peaceful and powerful protest for true rights for all

The grief of a nation.

A planet in peril

But in my small brain, it is love and joy that begins the journey to heal all things, helps us dream big solutions, helps us work with one another for the betterment of all.

I was reading a self-help book the other night by Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson (yes, the Paul Williams of Rainbow Connection and Evergreen fame).

I had seen them interviewed by Oprah and I was curious to read the whole book.  There were many things that resonated with me (not so much the drug addiction, I am pretty lucky there) but one of the affirmations struck me deeply:

Something Needs to Change and It's Probably Me.

So I think 2015 is my year to make sure my own garden is well and truly in order before I look over the fence at anyone else's.  And whatever I get for Christmas is just fine, thank you very much.  And those extra pounds I'm carrying?  Sure they should be smaller for my health's sake, but it just gives more of me to love.  

If I want joy, I gotta be joy.  If I want to make the world a better place, I better start with me.  I want to see fully with my heart and forget the rest.

I want to see the world as a wonder-full place, a place that can be taken care of, bettered, one person at at time.  And so I will start with me.  And the week before Christmas seems even more apropos to begin that exercise than the beginning of a new year.

As Mr. Saint-Exupery said:

Then you shall judge yourself, 

that is the most difficult thing of all. 

It is much more difficult to judge 

oneself than to judge others. 

If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, 

then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.

So while I wait for the movie, I think I will reread the book, because I think that fellow was on to something...

Have a wonderful, joyous day!

xoxo wendy

I am "at one" with the checkout line at Walmart...

This is the time of year that regardless of how much you are buying for the various holidays, you are going to end up in a line-up of some sort (so long as it isn't a police line-up all should be well!)

We spend less money at Christmas now, but I would be lying if I told you that I hate a commercial Christmas.

I like the decorations - be they Christmas or Hanukkah-related - and I like the bustle.

I like to see Santa and I always give him a hearty wave.  You believe, don't you?

Most of all, I try to enjoy the bustle.  It is going to happen anyway, and to rail against it all only causes distress, not peace.

Today, I ended up in a long line at Walmart.  I was not Christmas shopping, but needed something for the house that could not be postponed.

So I struck up a conversation with the lady in front of me.  I chatted with my daughter.  We wondered about how Kim and Kanye were doing (since we were standing right in front of the magazine aisle!).  I really looked at people.  I smiled.  I saw many moments of loveliness that I might not have otherwise noticed if I hadn't had it in my head to enjoy the moment.

It's ten days till Christmas.  I'm having a big "do" on Saturday night.  I am rewriting a novel.  And most of all, I am grateful for the opportunity to do all of these things.

Last week, an acquaintance of mine passed away.  We weren't friends, but we were friendly.  We have friends in common.  And he was a good man.  I am reminded that there are people in pain at all times of the year, not just over the holidays.  I am reminded that there will be food on my table and family there.  I am reminded that standing in a long line at Walmart, even that, can be a pleasure if you think of it as such.

And since I felt so darn good afterwards, I thought maybe one or two of you might also like to be reminded, as well.

Be a light!

What a blessing it is to be busy and stuck in traffic and tired.  It sure is to me.  And if you have even one person who loves you in this world, you are not alone.  And if you are reading this, you have me!

Much Love! xoxo wendy

(and yes, I hope things are all right for Kim and Kanye...)

Literary Landmarks

I read a wonderful article the other day about how NYC has recognized Carl Shurz Park as a literary landmark.

For those of you who don't know, Carl Shurz Park is one of Harriet's hangouts in Harriet the Spy.

Did you know Harriet the Spy is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year?

It is!

Harriet is one of my favourite literary characters and I actually re-read the book this past summer, as I hadn't done so since I was ten years old.

My copy is the old Yearling edition:

I loved Dell Yearling Editions - they were such a nice weight to read.

When I go to NYC in March I am going to have to take a little pilgrimage up to the Park, and make sure I am carrying my trusty notebook.  I will take some surreptitious notes about strangers, or at least Barry, and hope that the notebook doesn't get into the wrong hands!

I love the fact that The Park has been recognized in this way.  Visiting literary landmarks is always such a treat, but we tend to think of these sites as places of long ago - The Alcott House for example, the various Laura Ingalls Wilder places, and so on.  One of my dreams is to do a literary landmark tour of the UK, the US and Canada  someday.  I love walking in the same places that my favourite characters have walked.

There is a wonderful book about a mother who did just such a trip in the UK with her children:

I read this book years and years ago, at least twenty, but I see it was re-issued in 2010 and it is such a delight.  I am going to dig my copy up and read it again soon!

Recently, Barry and I were visiting my hometown.  The book that I hope is published one day takes place in my old neighbourhood and as we were driving to see a friend I said "There's where the dugout is" (which is meaningful to about 5 people in the world who have read the book thus far) and he got all excited.  So maybe someday, if I am really fortunate, that little spot will be a literary landmark, too!  At the very least, it will be one to me!

Where would you like to go visit?

Right now, I am almost done Wolf Hall and think another visit to London is in order toute de suite!

Before that I was reading a wonderful book called I, Coriander, by Sally Gardner, which also takes place in London, so really, there is a theme there.  I know Dani got to visit Beatrix Potter's corner of the world and Wordsworth's this past summer, both of which are places on my list!

I think I'd like to hit some Mitford and Churchill haunts as well...

Books have the incredible ability to transport us to new and wonderful places.  When some of those places turn out to be places we can actually visit, all the better!

Have a wonderful Friday and stay safe out there!

Wendy

Golden Gams - J Crew Ludlow Pants in Gold Linen

My sincere apologies for promising a review of the J Crew Ludlow Pants in Gold Linen:

There are several reasons for my delay:

1) I forgot

2) when I remembered I was dithering because

a) I had ordered the wrong size - a 12 instead of a 10
b) the pants are meant to worn by a woman with an ass and thighs

unless

c) you visit a seamstress and get some work done.  I actually had them taken in on each side by about 2 inches, that's how baggy they were on me!

Well, I did visit same-said seamstress because I did like them.

There are things you need to know about these pants however:

1) they cannot be dry-cleaned, only spot-cleaned or washed by hand VERY gently
2) they cannot be ironed only steamed

1&2 could be deal breakers for some, but weren't in the end for me, because frankly, these are fancy pants and you're not going to wear them a lot and also frankly, I am up for a challenge!

Sorry for the loo shot....

They look kind of bronze-y above.  They have a definite green cast to the gold, one that is please to the eye.

I like that they are linen.  I could see wearing this with a plain white tee in the summer and strappy heels.

I did hem and haw about keeping them and spending $20 to alter them significantly, but I am glad that I did.  They are different and will be fun to wear over the holidays.    I am modelling them with a black Vero Moda blazer and my trust Donald Pliner Raye pumps here, but I do love them with my white cashmere long sleeve tshirt as well - so cozy and simple.

Just know that if you are a person with no butt or thighs, you will have issues unless you are buying the 00...

Hope that helps someone decide, as I know they are 30% off right now!

xoxo wendy