New Years Eve

Ten days and I didn't write. This sounds familiar - a statement that appeared often in my preteen 5 year diary. Some habits just never do change. I could say it will be a new years resolution and I'll write every day. Nope. Been there. Done that. I'll just leave it at, I'll write when I feel like it and only then, sporatic or not.

After checking out the favorite movies of the year I find that I did not see one of them. I wonder, who picks the favorites anyway? It seemed to be that it was pretty slim pickin this year for movies. Maid in Manhattan, Bowling for Columbine, Eight Women, My Big Fat Greek Wedding - these were on my list. Not one is a top ten.

I struck out with the best 10 books list too. Didn't read one of them. Read more books than I have for a long time and read a lot of good books including Bee Season, She's Come Undone, Blue Shoe. Maybe I'm too "Oprahish" or something.

Well the year is coming to a close. I ate dinner at the stylish hour of 6pm tonight. Came home and watched an old year 2000 episode of Touched by an Angel, knitted eight rows that baby blue afghan that must be completed by January 31st, and am ready for bed now at 9pm. I'm getting old. Very old.

Happy New Year to All.
Next year's gotta be better.

I got the most amazing hat tree for Christmas. Just what I needed for all my Red Hat Society hats. Also, the wonderful purple furry tube scarf is hanging on it.

Weigh In

Okay, it's the last Saturday before Christmas. Probably not the best time to weigh in considering the three boxes of See's Candy and numerous other delectables that crossed my desk at work this last week. But I had to do it. I am a Lifetime Weight Watchers member so it is my obligation to weigh in every month. Because I need to be accountable for my efforts I am posting right here, right now, that I have gained back 10 of the 30 pounds I lost. I've gained it all back in the last six months. It was good to gain 5 pounds. People said I was too thin, gaunt looking. So, at least I have to lose only 5. But losing 5 pounds during the holiday season is indeed a challenge. I salute all of you out the who are working on your goals, maintaining or just hanging in there. For me, I'll be back at the weekly meetings after the new year. There, now I have said it. I am accountable.

Christmas Presents

Presents

When I was about six years old there was a kind of a mushy package under the Christmas tree for me from Grandma. It was wrapped up all pretty with the biggest bow ever and scotch taped all the way across the folds. I begged and begged my mom to let me open it before Christmas because I absolutely loved the things that Grandma made for me. But Mom wouldn't relent and said I would have to wait until Christmas morning.

A couple of days before Christmas I carefully pealed the tape off one edge of the package when Mom wasn't looking. Getting braver, I continued to pry until at last I had one side fully exposed. I peaked inside and found a red plaid dress that Grandma had made for me. Just then I heard Mom come in the room. I shoved the dress back into the wrapping and sat down on it just as she kneeled down to see what I was doing. She didn't have to say a word. I knew I was busted. Anyway, she never did say anything about it so I lived with the guilt for a long, long time.

A couple of days ago one of my favorite Red Hat Society friends brought me a Christmas gift. I couldn’t wait. I had to open the gift before Christmas. I knew it would be something special and I wanted to have it right now! Guess what? It is more special than I ever anticipated. I love it. And the best part of all is I refuse to feel guilty!

Happy Holidays to All.

Blue Skies

The skies are blue; the air is fresh and crisp. I strolled to the post office on my lunch hour, a slow saunter taking in the warmth of the bright sun, a pace slow enough to maintain 15 minutes of Vitamin D absorption and the prescribed amount of antidepressant daylight.

It seemed everyone in town had emerged from their dark shelters between storms. With seven days left until Christmas, the parking lots were crammed with frantic shoppers vying for spaces. I meandered through the traffic smug at not having to seek a spot.

I moseyed past the long line winding out the door at the post office. Moms wielded towers of cardboard boxes, clinging toddlers dragging at their feet. A blue haired lady pleaded with the clerk to send her string tied packages and then counted out small change to pay the postage. Business suited people stood in line, arms crossed, fingers and toes tapping in aggravation.

I peered into my empty mailbox, not that I expected anything. The bills from my meager online Christmas shopping wouldn’t be here before the New Year. I certainly haven’t sent off bundles of Christmas card joy to elicit bundles of obligatory Christmas responses.

Ambling back to work I glanced towards Mount Diablo hidden under a hat of clouds, a sure sign the next storm is brewing.

Brevity is the Soul of Wit

While perusing through the post cards at one of my favorite collectibles shops, I came across a card that I just had to have. It was from a time when it cost one cent to mail a postcard. While the pink rose and rosebud depicted on the card are attractive, what drew my attention to it was the quote on the bottom of the card, "Brevity is the Soul of Wit." Perhaps this blog with the name of Witt Bits is meant to be brief observations of the soul. The postcard is taped to my screen now, ever reminding me to keep it brief and maybe try to put a little soul into it... that is until another card catches my fancy.

Dutch Church

We went to church today. Turned out to be all in Dutch. Thought we were going to a Dutch Christmas Organ Concert - that's what the lady who answered the telephone told Marilyn it was. So here we were with the comprehension of a couple of five year olds, sitting in the hard pews, trying to figure it all out. The program was familiar. We knew to stand whenever there was a * on the bulletin. We bowed our heads when the others did. We hummed the familiar tunes. We dozed during the sermon. And in the end we were blessed with the most wonderful, vibrating, pipe organ caroles imaginable. Very much worth the wait!

Why Witt Bits?

One of my many frustrations these days is that inability to sleep for an entire night. Almost always I wake up at 4 a.m. with some twisted thoughts that don't go away. They just stay there for an hour or two, bumping around in my head until finally I am released back into my dreams, usually about ten minutes before the alarm goes off. Last night I had this hairbrained idea that I needed to have a weblog. Okay, I'll admit that this should be no surprise since before I went to bed last night I spent two hours lurking around other people's weblogs.

So here I was awake at 4 a.m. thinking about what I should call my weblog.

One Minute Musings? No can't use this, sometimes I must muse for more than a minute.

Picture This? Good idea but I am not always able to write 1000 words that would paint a picture.

Witt's End? No I used that one for Themestream

Witt Bits? Why not, after all I am still a Witt.