Writer Wednesday: Holidays
Immediacy amongst the wreaths.
This week I actually got it out on Wednesday! And it’s free for anyone to read! Nuf said, lets get to it.
This week’s prompt is short and sweet as there is lefse to be made, a Christmas Eve dinner to prepare for, and grown children to delight!
Prompt: Like a haiku, take an immediate experience, right now. Whatever you celebrate, or do not, is the best material. This isn’t holiday-centric, per se; that should remain a backdrop.
Give us a sense of Life right now. What is the simple thing that’s going on?
My take:
It is barely dawn as the wind roars, some sliding through the slightly cracked window and lightly brushing my skin. The wreath and red, sparkling balls lie in the water on the outdoor tiles, blown off the swing during the Pineapple Express storm. Water, flowing out of the drains, can be heard inside, and the trees wave briskly or are tickled by the changing breeze. Leaves fill the patio, and the sky, though not threatening, is a consistent grey that smugly promises, “A few more days.”
There is an errant young person on the couch, a holdover from our daughter’s party last night, right next to my favorite writing chair.
Excited, young voices are heard on the street. Strange. A flash floor warning arrives via iPhone. And the rain, in sheets, blows east to west.
As I peel the russet potatoes in a sort of aggressive dignity bordering on joy, I think of my father and brother, both in the Navy, who, because of their KP duties on board their respective ships, always said the same thing to get out of it: “I hate peeling spuds.”
My brother peeled in attack mode, as fast as humanly possible. And my dad…refused.
Enjoy the prompt and be sure to post for the rest of us, if you like.
Happiest of holidays to everyone!
Kyle prompt Holiday 122425
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house… here I sit. I’m still hobbling around from my foot surgery, but unlike Tiny Tim, I have plenty of blessings. At the moment my foot is elevated with a bone stimulator on for 3 hours as ordered. I’ve split the time throughout the day and have an hour left. Who can complain these busy days to be required to sit for 3 hours with your foot up. Good time for reading, writing, or even taking a nap, my favorite way to pass the time. The fireplace is sending warm comfort as the darkness settles in. The candles are already on the porch ensuring Santa and the Holy Spirit finds our house. The temperature drops in this room after the horizon shifts towards night, leaving a chill from all its surrounding windows.
I’ve sent Carl upstairs to wrap presents, a task he’s earned since I’m usually in the kitchen. This year there’s been no baking done, due to the extra time spent recovering from surgery. There’s no regrets, as I’ve put on plenty of Christmas Day gatherings thru the years, fixing dinners for a large mix of both sides of our extended family’s. We finally gave in to a more sensible approach of just our immediate family, once grandkids started showing up. You can’t beat the joy of having kids around, and unless you have some of your own, you have to borrow some and include their parents. The first year or two, I really missed all the fun and chaos, from those larger gatherings, but I’m content now to do just for us with a much quieter celebration. After a few years, our son moved to CA with our 4 youngest grands, so we settle for FT chat, but still miss them. These 2 grands in the picture are close by and are my oldest. Just as I started to write this, the photo memory from last year appeared compliments of Google photos. What a better time to think about this moment in time and celebrations that came before.
I thought I might have some energy to bake those traditional star cookies tonight, but I was out thru the morning because you always have a couple of things you forgot 🤦🏼♀️. I’m thinking I’ll just make some popovers tomorrow morning before I put the prime rib in the oven. If I plan it right I’ll have everything wrapped, food packed and ready to head to Jen’s by 2 ish. Carl and Chris are delivering meals on wheels so they will be up early. Hopefully, Jen and Ash will be, too, as they are fixing the sides, because I’m not peeling any spuds!
To catch up on the favorite recipe prompt from weeks ago, I’m posting Carl’s grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe. I’m sure they were baked every Christmas when Philomene, my mom in law lived in Sydney Nova Scotia. As the recipe calls for not quite a cup of spry plus a tbsp of butter, I do substitute all butter. The brown sugar gives them a nice crunch and they are super good. Happy holidays to all of you and may blessings surround everything you do in the coming year.
I’ll try to add the photos…Substack is being naughty
Hot. Heat. Sweat drips down. The electric light from the computer screen blazes into my retina blurring the black letters on the screen as I struggle to read/comprehend. Holiday music and laughter drifts in from another section of the house. No. Focus. Focus.
“No interest shall vest…”
The first time I went through this it was hot then too—-July 1996. But the heat then made sense. A summer swampy heat. A DC/Baltimore heat. While the bar exam was intimidating then it was different.Fresh from law school classes, in person professors and study groups it was social. A shared trauma. Now computerized, sterile, a lone experience in a distant place. Ok, focus you did it then you can do it now. Focus.
No interest shall vest….
Hey wait a minute! I am not fresh out of school I have 29 years of trial attorney experience surely there are some marketable skills in there. Maybe I don’t have to pass this test.Lets see…
1. Strutting Around And Talking—-spokesmodel???? No, No you are 54. No one wants to see that…CNN/MSNOW/FOX News Legal Correspondent “Former trial attorney Nicolle says (insert what ever outrage of the day but couched in legalese) hmmmm….Note to self: Seems plausible. Look into this.
2. Writing—-Once upon a time I could do this but spent to much time strutting around talking. See Number 1: Note to Self: Work on this.
3. Spinning facts to fit an argument??? Advertising? Marketing? Politics? Oh God No anything but that….so I guess there are fates worse than the bar exam and dreaded property law.
So with sweat dripping, eyes blurring, I memorize:
No interest shall vest but within 21 years from a life in being…..or something like that don’t really have this down yet 😂😂😂
Happy Holidays!