Christmas morning, 2020 7:30 am, Corte Madera, California.
Woke up early, of course realizing it was Christmas Day – a day not being celebrated because I am now a Muslim. I open the door of my apartment to see if my Christmas stocking (my Mother made it for me years ago, I know it is mine as it has my name on it) was still in place. . It was used for Christmas decoration on my patio along with lights, a fake tree, an angel more lights etc etc. etc. (When I get into something I really get into something). I had walked around this rather large complex noting that hardly anyone had lights or decorations or anything. (Eight homes out of 68, pretty pathetic(). So I was standing on my patio admiring my works of art – my neighbor stroll by pushing her baby in a stroller.
She: Merry Christmas
Me: Merry Christmas to you! But I don’t celebrate Christmas because I became a Muslim.
She: But look at you with all your lights and decorations!
Me; Yes, I always actually hated Christmas but did love the decorations. At its very best it can be a time of hope.
She: You have a Christmas stocking on your door.
Me: Yes my mother made it for me. Well, I do think it is permissible to believe in Santa Claus even if you do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Santa Claus has nothing to do with that, he just has elves, reindeer and the North Pole (even with climate change the North Pole is still holding out),
She: Well Santa Claus did give you a present. She gave you a very nice neighbor!
Me: (laughing joyfully) Yes indeed, thank you Santa! I was a good girl and it is good to get such a good gift.
I get up this morning, open the door to see if the stocking was still on the door and note that there is something in the stocking., reach into it the stocking a found a treasure. I GOT A PRESENT!!, I screamed, I GOT A PRESENT!! Probably woke up the entire complex, oops! I actually got two presents – wonderful long dangly earrings and 8 party lights and four holders. It might be a long time before we can every have parties again – but I am prepared.
Then I remember this joke which is supposed to be one of olde. A young boy woke up on Christmas morning, ran down stairs to the Christmas tree to see what Santa had left for him. It was an enormous pile of manure. The boy grabbed a shovel throwing away the debris.
He:(in great glee) There is a pony in her somewhere, there is a pony in here somewhere/
Then i remembered, at one time that was going to be the titled of my Uncle Dave biography. Uncle Dave came from a rather unpromising family (she said tactfully) but he was the pony, a talented, sports writer blessed with fame and a large following (for his day and the circulation of the Regina Leader Post). In a way, I was the little boy shoveling away, hoping to find something in my family of origin to give me hope. I found my pony. Perhaps that should be the thread of the book, perhaps a rewrite is in order. Well, not rewrite and there has not been a finished copy, just two three-fourth books (one the original attempt, the other a collection of blogs written by me about him.
The rest of the day is a bit amorphous which is without a clearly defined shape or form. Its synonyms are shapeless, formless, structureless, indeterminate; vague, nebulous, indefinite.
Previous Christmases were spent in bed with three to water hot bottles and two bottles of champagne. Went to Andy’s Market yesterday, broke down and bought a bottle of champagne, just in case. I know, I know, I know drinking is frowned upon in the Muslim faith. it is contrary to the faith but I did get a temporary reprieve, honest I did. I am mindful that it is only temporary.I do plan to finish up a blog started yesterday. Lucky you will get two blogs today, such a gift! Hahahah
I shall get dressed and take a selfie, Alexis wearing her earrings. Proof – I always tell the truth except sometimes I exaggerate. This is no exaggeration, it is the clean unvarnished truth!! .
