early morning

Sitting in the living room with the Christmas tree lights on and drinking coffee...looking out into the dark morning...reading a little...writing a little. Yesterday, I packed up the second third of the Christmas decorations. Why do they look so pitiful when they're piled up on a chair, waiting to go back into boxes?

I'll keep the tree up for a long time but will change out the Christmas ornaments for Valentine's Day, then St. Patrick's Day. I need the light.

Ella wants to come and help with the Valentine's Day tree. She was disappointed that I had done the Christmas tree without her. Who knew that she would remember that and look forward to it. We'll make an occasion of the next tree trimming.

Last year was a Christmas card winter. We had beautiful fluffy snow all winter and it never got brown and slushy until it was ready to melt in the spring. I know it made travel, by foot and by car, difficult but it was so much more aesthetically pleasing. This winter, you just put your head down into the wind and shuffle like a penguin on the ice covered walks. This is a Siberia winter...without the cool fur hats.

I didn't read much at all in the last three years. My theory was that since I hadn't ever exercised, all of my energy (my chi?) was going to my muscles instead of to my head. I went along with this theory thinking it was wacky and something I made up but now that I read about chi, I might be right. It's my life force, diverted to my quads and triceps.

Now, I'm back to reading. I haven't given up exercise, in fact, increased time and intensity in the last month. Maybe my chi has learned to do both. I think I'll read up on inner alchemy.