… to all of my faithful, but very quiet, followers. I wish you all a healthy and happy 2013.
Here at the ToadMama Abode, we rang in the New Year quietly. I went to an auction of antiques and stuff at the local auction house. I’ll show you what I bought once I get all of my treasures home. The auction started around 6:00. There was free food — good food — and drinks for all.
I actually got home around 8:00 or so, took the dogs for their stroll through town, and then spent the rest of the evening watching the final season of The Wire with Hubby.
I didn’t even realize midnight had hit until Amy, our youngest daughter, called.
I guess that’s what getting old does to you. Not that I am complaining. Hangovers suck. So I am quite happy to be clear-headed this morning!
I do have some stuff to get done today, so I’d better get to it.
We got a bit of snow in Warrenton on Christmas Eve. It happened during the day, but I was delighted. Because I love snow. And seeing it on Christmas Eve made me happy.
You gotta take happiness however you can get it, right?
Of course I had to go for a walk and take some pictures.
Red Truck Bakery during the snow event.
I had the dogs with me as I usually do when strolling through town.
Walking behind the bitches.
I’ve been taking lots of pics during my nightly strolls lately. The town just looks so pretty at night.
Here are a few examples.
Art gallery window.
Window at The Empty Nest.
Strolling past the Black Bear Bistro.
Camera phone pics are okay. But on Christmas Eve I decided to venture out without the dogs and with my SLR camera to capture some “real” images.
I used the tripod, too, which is critical for clear night shots that don’t use a flash.
Here are my favorites.
Fauquier County Courthouse in Warrenton
Fauquier County Courthouse in Warrenton
Fauquier County Offices at Warren Green Hotel near Town Hall.
Fauquier County Courthouse in Warrenton
Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton
I am pleased with the results.
Yes, three are of the courthouse, but I just love the way that looks all lit up.
I knew this Christmas — the first Christmas ever without my Mom — would be a rough one, I just didn’t know how rough.
Mom (Christmas 2009)
It’s one of those things you have to experience for yourself to understand.
Back at the end of November and into early December, things were looking quite bleak. Really. I tried not to think about Christmas, but reminders were everywhere.
She said… “I could choose to hold onto these yucky, bad and heavy feelings. Like I am wrapped up tight in yarn. BUT….NO!” Then Tracey went on to remind her followers that thankfulness is a choice. And said she always chooses JOY.
Tracey is not one of those weird, perennial Miss Mary Sunshine types. She’s got ups and downs like the rest of us. Some pretty big ones, too. So I decided if Tracey can be joyful, I could also make a conscious effort to choose some joy.
It was truly an effort, too. Because all of those memories kept flooding in, threatening to pull me back down into that black pit of depression.
Once I decided to choose joy, I figured I’d REALLY decorate the house for Christmas. I may have gone a tad overboard, but I like it. Actually, the house needs more. Next year I’ll have to decorate the rear yard, too.
That’s also when I started planning my Santa ride, which was inspired by my delightful blog friend, Rachael, aka Fuzzy Galore (this world could really use more women like Rachael).
I started taking pictures of all the lovely store windows in town. Perhaps this evening I’ll do another circuit with no dogs and my “real” camera (though the iPhone does darn well).
Listening to Christmas music helped, too. Not many folks know how much I like to sing (I usually just sing when alone).
Then there was planning the girls’ weekend. I can’t forget my besties.
That weekend was followed by a weekend with family. And it took a lot to get ready for that, too. Like Christmas arrived four days early.
Amy, TJ, and the kids were here. So were Eric and Kelsey. We missed Shannon, but I had to force myself not to think about that either.
I swear, I have never had to work so hard to enjoy Christmas!
Pass the Pigs!
Playmobil Rocks
Lego's are awesome, too. It's even more awesome that the boys like it when I play, too.
It all felt a bit forced, but it worked! Quite a few people remarked how “in the spirit” I seemed. 🙂
And today, which was slated to be a very quiet Christmas Eve, I got a really, really nice surprise…
It snowed!!!
We didn’t get a lot of snow, but lots of big, fat, white flakes fell and made walking around town delightful.
And, just to make things even cooler today, I got this unexpected gift from the aforementioned Fuzzy Rachael, which Hubby just brought inside from the mailbox.
How cool is that!?!
Anyway… enough about me. I hope you and your family enjoy Christmas this year. Even if things are not as perfect as they could be, choose Joy. And, as Dolly says, “Don’t let sorrow bring you way down.”
I was very fortunate to spend this past weekend with my two best girlfriends. It was awesome.
Sometimes, “best friends” sounds so childish. And exclusionary. Any friend, new or old, is great to have. But these particular friends, Carol and Tracey, have been friends of mine since childhood. So I think calling them my best friends is justified.
That's Tracey beside me and Carol is in the front.
I’m not sure exactly when we all met. It seems like we have known each other since forever.
Really. It’s been about 35 years.
That’s a LONG time.
We’ve all been through and seen each other through so much together. We’re physically distant from each other and don’t get together nearly as often as we would like to, but that bond is and always will be very strong.
We all grew up together in Baltimore. Now, Carol is living in Southern Maryland, Tracey is in Central Pennsylvania, and I am in Virginia.
The distance isn’t insurmountable, but we all have pretty busy lives. Which is why we see so little of each other. But when we do get together, it’s always good.
Things are rarely rosy for all of us simultaneously. We all have our different struggles. So it’s not always sunshine and laughter. But even when times are bad, getting together with these two somehow makes things better.
I don’t want to get too mushy here. I just have to say I am really, REALLY glad we were all able to spend time together this holiday season.
I love you girls more than I think you know.
Here are some more shots from our weekend…
I finally got to show them my new town.
Tracey, like I told you, I really do shoot this church a lot. Especially when there’s a blue sky in the background.
I took that one just for you. 🙂
At the Marshall Tag Sale.
More snowmen for the collection.
The snowmen were perfect for the wall in my foyer.
Tracey doing her Vanna White impersonation.
Carol and Tracey with some treasures from Robin's Nest Antiques in Marshall, VA.
Carol LOVES old, red trucks.
Santa is driving that truck!
I am slowly getting to know some folks here in my new town. Working from home can sometimes be quite limiting. But I am going to make a concerted effort to change some things in 2013.
I’m going to get out of the house more, for one. It’s hard to make local friends when you never, or at least rarely, leave the house!
I am going to make time for my various DIY projects, too. Furniture painting. House decorating. Sewing.
I need to set aside more time for riding, too. And blogging. Although, to be honest, my blogging habits may have to change, too.
Anyway… it’s late. It has been a long, but wonderfully rejuvenating weekend.
Before leaving you with this one last image, I just have to say, have a happy week!
Some of you know my blog buddy, Rachael, aka FuzzyGalore. She’s an avid motorcyclist with a very cool blog. Rachael has a great sense of humor, loves to do fun stuff, and is an all-around nice person.
Fuzzy started a new Christmas tradition in 2010 when she donned a Santa suit and rode one of her motorcycles around Long Island, which is where she lives. For Christmas 2011, she was joined by a few friends and her daughter who rode as pillion dressed as an elf. This year, Christmas 2012, she was joined by even more friends.
It looked like a lot of fun. It would have been awesome to join them. But Long Island is a long way from Warrenton, Virginia.
So I decided to do a Santa ride of my own.
It would have been more fun with an accomplice. But Hubby would never entertain such an unconventional thought. And I don’t know any other locals who ride. So, being desperately in need of a boost of my own holiday spirit, I decided to live dangerously and go it on my own.
First, I had to procure an inexpensive Santa Suit. Then, since my bike is not a very seasonal blue, I decided it needed some decoration.
The reindeer antlers are my favorite accessory.
I like the snowman, too. But then, I have a thing for snowmen.
The “gift” on the back is just my top case wrapped in plastic.
I filled the stocking full of candy, but didn’t have many opportunities to stop. And, really, I was having too much fun just tooling around town waving at folks.
I think the whole ensemble works well, what do you think?
The trip was a hit. People were waving, laughing, honking, giving me very enthusiastic thumbs-up gestures. It was a hoot.
Many, MANY people snapped cell phone camera shots of me, too.
I was going to go out again today, but the weather is too dreary. I can’t get my bright red suit covered in road dirt.
I’ll definitely try to get out again at least one more time before Christmas.
It really is a great way to spread some holiday cheer.
Here at the ToadMama Abode, we rang in the New Year quietly. I went to an auction of antiques and stuff at the local auction house. I’ll show you what I bought once I get all of my treasures home. The auction started around 6:00. There was free food — good food — and drinks for all.
