Weekend Coffee Share, Reaching the Joy

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer . It got into the 20s in Northern Florida last night, so today calls for a hot chai tea. Grab your beverage of choice and pull up a chair! We had a fire going last night and are sure to start the fireplace again this evening.

I’m all done with Christmas shopping and preparations! I’ve been relaxing and enjoying myself the last few days. All of the gifts are under the tree, and it even now looks fuller than above. I got Bixby a chew toy that he will get on Christmas Eve. I’ll be going to a family service at my church tonight that includes a live nativity. I’m looking forward to it!

My dad sent a Visa gift card for Christmas, so with those unexpected funds I bought tickets to a Christmas Event called Dazzling Light at the Jacksonville Arboretum for myself and my boyfriend to attend Thursday, because he takes me to so many fabulous places; he deserves it! Needless to say, we both loved it and felt like kids again! This includes the hot chocolate that warmed me as walked the grounds from 8 to 9 p.m. We were in 50 degree weather then, but the cool humidity made me crave something warm.

Let it snow!❄️

I haven’t been there in years, but even at night the place is magical! There was music food, and lights in many varieties as well as exhibits the kids could play in. Let’s not forget the pretend snow to play in! I used to play in snow as a child, forty-plus years ago!

All in all, we both had such a great time, and Chris really appreciated this surprise! I’m so glad.

Lately, I’ve started painting when I get a creative bug and my hand and shoulder hurt too much to write. I’d done two coasters before today, and my son wanted to help me do some ‘modern art’ today. Of course, I said yes and got out the materials in my garage “studio.” We both contributed! It was an excellent mother/son activity!

Halfway through, he told me modern art started out as US CIA/ government propaganda. Well, he’s close. He really is into some interesting things! He asked Siri and she found us an article. Read about it here: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/modern-art-was-cia-weapon-1578808.html

Our product!

It was so fun making art with my son, and such a wonderful bonding experience! I’m truly enjoying this Winter break, and not a single silent moment has me bored.

Fun at the Jacksonville Arboretum!

I am wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas, happy holiday, and a Happy New Year! May the joy of this season be yours.🎄⛄

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Weekend Coffee Share, Getting in the Spirit

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Allison at Eclectic Ali. Pull up a chair and your favorite beverage!

It has been a long week, but I survived it and this weekend, I know there’s no need to set an alarm Monday! My grading is done, and I already have some ideas for my lessons in January. It is a good feeling to finally be caught up!

Things got pretty intense this last week. My boyfriend had sinus symptoms ten days ago, and Saturday he called to tell me he tested positive for COVID. I freaked! I was supposed to drive up to meet my brother in S.C. to get my mom and bring her back home…but not in the midst of COVID cases exploding around me! My son also had a cold. After two days, he said, “Nah, I’m getting better. I don’t need a test.” I thought he was being way too headstrong and stubborn, but he kept sounding better day after day. I was, ironically, lucky my boyfriend did not see me the weekend before last since he went to see his dad in Georgia. Therefore, I was outside of that rule “Have you been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last two weeks?” Otherwise, I’d have to quarantine away from work for two weeks.

My significant other and me, circa 2018. He’s not a vegeratian! 🙂

Things are much better. My son’s cold is almost 100% gone, and my boyfriend tested negative for COVID yesterday. So, I’m going to pick up my mom Weds. I’m not too keen on driving in South Carolina during holiday traffic, sometimes I get panicky due to a car accident in 2016, so I’ve asked a friend to drive up with me. She said yes, thank God!

All week at school, the kids were a bit more excitable than usual. Friday, my plan was quite simple: discuss if you would choose either a pause or a reset button on life; explain why, creatively. Then, design/color an ugly (or wonderful) sweater on paper. The standard? “We can co-exist harmoniously.” I challenge anyone to prove to me that is not a legitimate standard in this day and age. I mean, they had to share crayons. The discussion in some of my classes was GREAT!

It was ugly Christmas sweater day, but I don’t have one. So, my Christmas dog mask had to suffice. 🙂 I was tired, but I’ve been tired almost daily for the last few weeks. Those kids kept me awake, though. I have to admit, the students I teach are pretty great. Sometimes, full of too much energy, but they’re good kids. Friday was fun, but it went by just fine. I was given a few nice gifts from the kids that included gift cards to places I love. At the end of the day, one of my female students surprised me and hugged me. She said she was sorry about COVID changing everything and hoped I had a nice Christmas. We don’t hug these days; I was surprised. But I did not shoo her away. There is such a delicate balance between human connection and COVID safety that makes these times hard. I’m not worrying about it, but I worry for those who really need that human connection.

Christmas 2020!

Yesterday (Saturday), I acted as adult chaperone for kids in National Junior Honor Society as we rang the bell for Salvation Army collections. It’s the first actual holiday event I’ve joined in, being so cautious and having slight COVID anxiety. This is always a fun event, as the kids are great and very civic-minded. Several of the students were in my class last year, and some I had taught two years ago, so it was nice to catch up. I was still a little tired, though, so I left when my shift was over at 2 p.m. and at home, got the first nap of my Winter Break!

Some relaxation is certainly in order! Stay well, everyone, and feel free to visit Allison’s blog and join in the Coffee Share today or in future weekend shares, https://eclecticali.wordpress.com/2020/12/18/weekendcoffeeshare-relaxation-life/

Peace!

Ambivert/Dog-Lover Achieves Rest and Relaxation. #Weekend Coffee Share.

Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Allison at Eclectic Ali. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas or happy holiday, whichever holiday it is that you celebrate.

I’m listening to The Driving Song by Widespread Panic. Their music just flows for me. I listen to one of their albums in my car a lot, and one song seems to flow into the other, yet each one telling its own individual story. Some of the songs are very visual, and I can just picture stories based on them. I find their music relaxing especially when I’m driving, because driving can be kind of stressful for me and traffic gives me anxiety. But their songs make me feel like I’m on the open road, on a clear, sunny day, traveling aimlessly. Right now is a good time for me to listen, since I won’t be able to travel anywhere for a few months.  Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XleAMV-W5C4

It being Winter Break for me, I have been getting a good amount of relaxation. I’ve caught up on my Netflix shows, even watched the choose- your-adventure Netflix episode / movie (Bandersnatch) yesterday. Wow, what a mind-bender. Quite intriguing. As a creator of fiction, it really appealed to me. I also finished season 3 of Travelers and have gotten some reading in. Heck, I even made it to yoga twice this week. Yeah, I’m a little sore due to that, but only because I am not used to it.  We’ll see how next week goes. 🙂

Since I’m saving money after the Christmas bills I just paid, today is sort of a hang- around-the- house day. I left for an hour for a church rehearsal of a skit we’ll be doing tomorrow, then I came back home.  My canine companion is glad to hang out with me me and loves having the company at home. We did give him a Merry Christmas present by taking him to the dog park on Christmas Day, and let me tell you, there were lots of interesting dogs and dog owners there on that day. I love the park we go to, and the people who go there are always so nice. I can’t say much for my dog’s behavior, though. Not as polite as I’d like. He’s only on week 2 of dog obedience class, so I guess we’ll give it time.

Doesn’t this face look innocent to you?  I love that little ruffian.

On the writing scene, I have re-edited my sci-fi book, Seeing Through Samson’s Eyes and have put it on a site to distribute to Barnes & Noble, apple, and Kobo. It is still available on Amazon as well. I actually enjoy going through to re-edit and polish it, because it is a story I enjoyed writing, and I like to revisiting those characters. Check it out at https://www.books2read.com/u/b5rd51  or you can get Amazon information on any of my books at https://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Schloesser-Canepa/e/B01E0KV716

I’ve come up with a few more ideas for Malachi, a character from my book Undercurrents in Time and I wrote a few of them down. I bought a little notebook to get organized as far as my chapter concepts. But I feel like I have not written very much for it. I have crossed the 20,000 word threshold though. I just plan to give myself time on this one and meanwhile ideas are coming to me for other books. Maybe that’s what right now is about, because my arm and shoulder have been sore lately, and I know sometimes I just need to take a break. I use ice now and then, but it’s hard to type at that point. So I will just plan and let the ideas speak to me. Maybe right now I’ll just give myself time to listen.

As far as writing, I don’t think I have been as attentive to my blog as of late. However, I did join in a blogger’s challenge that I discovered on Beaton’s blog, Becoming the Muse. It was called The Best of 2018. I wrote about some of my better experiences of this year. I would love it if you gave one of my posts a visit.  You can find one of them here:  Best of the Year 12/12-17 or here: Best of the Year, 12/18-12/24

 Rhode Island definitely featured a prominent place in my Best of the Year!

I have had a wonderful holiday with my family, and this has been a peaceful, prosperous year in which I have met a few of my goals.  I wish you all the happiest New Year possible.  Thank you for dropping by and sharing a cup of cheer with me!