What's up cool cats and kittens?! You make it through the holidays ok?
Well, almost two months blazed by. Not without the normal garb that goes into closing out a year.
Or in my case I tend to walk a tender line through holidays. This one no different. Cry baby...
December was actually a blur if I'm being honest. I shopped last minute. I grazed through some stores fighting with my mask, fiddling with my glasses getting fogged up. Trying to smile at strangers with my eyes.
One thing you all probably know about me, is my desire to throw compliments out like it's confetti. I always try to find something good on, or in someone. (Just today, the lady working at The Dollar Tree was the most sincere loving and kind human to the elderly shopping her line-) She needs to know her kindness isn't taken for granted. At least not by me. Not being able to smile at humans while out and about did its number on me during my most tender-of-months-emotionally. December.
Constantly reminded while out with Kali "Mom, put your mask back on" - Oh. Sorry. I pull that shit down so people can not only hear me (I don't talk loud enough)- BUT to smile at a server. Someone bagging my groceries, or a tender gesture to an elderly human. I still wonder the effects this pandemic will have on our next generation. The little's in tow. Mask on, big yellow dots on the floor on where to stand. Then you add in the crazy 6 foot distant police. Crazy. Trust me, I have introvert tendencies and no one wants us to climb up on the other....but when someone tells me I can't look at greeting cards because they're standing there....then they shouldn't be out shopping for greeting cards. Bam.
That's a whole different topic for a whole different post. Let's just say...I hear and see such hypocrisy right in my own family. And friends. It's hurtful and it's weird. *so and so can't go over or be around because she didn't have her mask on and we can't police her/him...but let's not shine the light down on ourselves for going out and about at neighbors houses and sharing all the things...drinks, food and company. LOL.
Resentful much Lisa? Yea.....just a little.
During Christmas each year I tend to get stiff with emotions. I become sad easily and music sends me over the top. I hold harder grudges against the grains of family issues from the past. I feel left out, yet I stay out on purpose. So it's a double edge sword I shoot against myself.
Powerful seasons, split wide open. You win some you lose some.
This last December was no different. However, we did stroll back and forth quite a bit from Havasu (AZ) to (CA). Now I have birdies in each state. One delicate flower cactus finally adjusting to a new life in AZ with a new little family of his own. (Alexis, and animals, animals, animals....) and FISHING. Cautiously dancing around a virus, he is finding his way out there. He's studying to take his Mortgage Loan License test and it's overwhelmed him more than a few times. To say I am proud of how far he's come with the journey he was handed is beyond. He's a walking miracle. And someone that really shrugs off assholes like they're flies and looks for rainbows after a rainy day. He's never a spiteful mean person, he just wants to love and fish. haha.
Taking no more than about 3 weeks away from Kali, she tends to miss mama the most. By the way...Shout out to you little sweet birdie- New job new year! Big new beginnings. Dad and I are so incredibly proud of the woman you're becoming. Level headed, and a bright beam of light for success. It's why we've worked so hard to provide and show you the example of dedication to goals.
Mid December came and I was reminded of our annual Christmas Boat Parade back at the beach. I packed my car (did you guys know I haul 3 pillows back and forth, along with bags and bags of clothes....lol) and jammed back to the beach. Arriving at 3pm, I'd grab our ladder and yanked our tree down from the garage rafters, bins of lights and most decor. Well, the most I could handle alone.
My bestie came over and we sat down next to my tree sipping white wine and got caught up. Sulking in a way because we couldn't have our annual Christmas Party, but then I kind of reminded myself that sometimes these little slices of a break might just be for a reason. The lightest decorating of all time, but I did it.
I stayed back just long enough to get Christmas gifts handled, wrapped and repacked into my car to head back to the desert. A week before Christmas. I was exposed to le'Coronito virus so I could only drop off my bin of gifts at Kris and Lexi's doorstep. After spraying the top of them with Lysol. LOL. Cried driving away...because I could hear the dogs barking. They knew Grammie was there. And yet I said don't let them out, I don't want them kissing on me. SAD!
Bill and I drove back to the beach on Christmas day. And if you wonder where we ate? That'd be McDonalds. Yes. Mickie-dee's. He's a McRib guy, true fan loyal to the core. Everything else was closed in Barstow. I love Filet o' Fish. So it was a win win. Disgusting once we got home and felt the after effects of eating fast food. No bueno.
Two days later we'd be on a plane headed to Cabo. Our friends in the harbor bought a beautiful home there last year. An invite shared all last year. Between moving Kris, and Bill's surgery...it was always a "maybe next time guys!"
December 27, we landed in Cabo. With 4 couples. And a trip that will go down as one I will never forget.
Paul and Mary. Coolest cats in town.
I had a nirvana moment on the boat we chartered the next day. Floating across the water with whales in the distance, sitting atop the "net" over the water while sipping a margarita. Can't fully describe it, but I will take it to my ashes. As a matter of fact, maybe my family can celebrate my life that way some day.
Just don't leave my ashes behind anywhere. LOL. No, I'm serious.
We stayed a week and had over-the-top fun. Paul and Mary stop at nothing short of amazing. They had a chef come to their home and cook for us on NYE and also the last night we were there. We floated in their pool on New Years Day. We walked down to the beach side on NYE at sunset to watch them release baby turtles out to sea...pure bliss.
Incredible. Truly, incredible.
Yes, our liver-warning-lights came on flashing with a vengeance. But you get the jist of it all, right?
After arriving back, we jetted back to Havasu to celebrate Kris' 5th Re-Birthday!
In the Bone Marrow Club, this milestone is a big one to get to.
Life is flying by for us.
We managed to sneak back to Cabo with just Paul and Mary a couple weeks ago. Flights were awesome. Airports and airplanes empty...so why not....WHY NOT.....We had to take Covid tests before coming back to CA. All good. All negative.
I've been cleaning out drawers and bins from my old house. Bill and I both tossing old pictures that don't matter to us anymore. The relief of things and people that will never be of worthwhile. Tossed. I sat intently on the floor staring at some and sharing with my sister. Look at this gem. My grandparents.
Tina and Lisa. Wee little pea-pods. Before life got hard, and deliriously strange at times.
My sister and Tori came down a few weeks ago- Kali hosted her first little brunch for us, and we walked down to the water...
Seasons are coming and going. Finding beauty in all that we've missed throughout the years. Loving the moments with those I love. Understanding the rift of those that want us to stay back because of the covid-schmovid. We get it.
I hope you're all hanging on tight. Learning new schedules. Washing reusable masks (ew)- Smiling with your eyes, or at the very best, tossing out compliments to those that deserve it.
I'm incredibly grateful for good health. For good friends. For great birdies. For sunsets and for sunrises.
Grateful.
"I love the way you love me"
And if you think life is all rainbows and unicorns all the days all the time....it's not that way. We've worked incredibly hard through years and YEARS of HARD work, and more family trauma than you'd ever want to experience.
Now life's worth living the best we can. While we can.
Remember.....
One phone call.
Calls I hope you never have to experience.
With love, and a hefty dose of eye smiles...
Keep kindness in the front.
One act of kindness for someone else, every day.
One thing.
Even if it's a smile from car to car. Without your mask.
Humanity. Keep that in front.
But if you're getting tailgated, brake check that mothertrucker.
LOL! amiright? damn straight.
This Mama Lisa
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