Dig In: Better to be Hopeful than Thankful

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens; Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens; Brown paper packages tied up with strings; These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites, When the bee stings, When I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things And then I don't feel so bad..

This doesn't work for me. Oh, I can go through the motions, count my blessings, but it doesn't make me feel any better.

Looking back to the past doesn't always help me in the present. I am often too worried about the future to pay much thought to all those lovely memories...

This time last year I was looking for a new job, a new life. Someone suggested that I might enjoy a change. I realized then that I hadn't enjoyed anything in a very long time. Much of what I do is out of duty, and the rest is to keep up appearances. I was simply surviving, and worried that I might not make it through the upcoming holidays. Hosting has often been a source of stress for me in the past.

This year I faced Thanksgiving as a dress rehearsal for Christmas. It was certainly cold enough, with pretty snow covering the ground. Being brought up British, I have more traditions for Christmas when we feasted on turkey and all the trimmings. The tree was already up, twinkling with lights and waiting for ornaments. Two out of my three sons would be coming home, and it felt like the holidays. I found myself looking forward to seeing family again and cooking for them. I cleaned the house and defrosted the turkey. I was excited... I was enjoying this! Even a small fire set off by a potholder in the oven didn't dampen my spirits. I tried to remember when was the last time I had enjoyed Christmas... probably when the kids were young. And even then cooking a turkey in the heat was not much fun.