Well, it has been a hard couple of months but the holiday season has been especially difficult. I have kept busy. Don’t ask me what, but, really, I am quite busy every day…for the most part.

Did a little decorating for Christmas. A tree. The fireplace mantle. Never got any lights up outside. (Thanks, a lot, Courtney!)

Didn’t want to do anything the same as in past years. It is still hard every single day…so have tried to mix things up.

We have done Christmas Eve here at our house since my ‘Aunt’ Olga died. So, about 18 years or so. Didn’t feel up to that this year.

Then, on Christmas morning, we would usually go to Darrel’s sister, Diane’s, (and before that his mom and dad’s house) for brunch. That had been going on since I first became part of the family about 34 years ago!

But, I just couldn’t do the same thing this year.

Instead, I went to my friend’s Mar and Gar’s house for Christmas Eve last night. It was nice being able to stand aside and not have to worry about any kind of family dramas.

Not that I saw any there, but it was good to be kind of detached from everyone because I wasn’t part of their family. I was just able to enjoy them as I talked to the ones I knew or met the ones I didn’t.

This morning I got up and decided I should make Courtney breakfast for Christmas since he had to leave for work about 11:00 AM. (Courtney worked both Christmas Eve 2:30-11:00pm and Christmas Day 12:00 – 11:00PM)

Then as something different from past Christmas Day events, I had my parents and Vanessa & Gary over for dinner. Made prime rib, Hasselback potato casserole (nummy), green beans with bacon and onion, and sweet Hawaiian rolls. Then mom brought Sticky Toffee pudding for dessert.

We didn’t exchange presents this year, but some of us donated to the Darrel Miller Scholarship Fund which is part of the Navigating the Future charity at the Des Moines Yacht Club.

This is something the DMYC First Mates have done for 9 or so years. They raise money to provide scholarships to deserving seniors at Mount Rainier High School. It is which part of the national Dollars for Scholars organization.

So, it was a nice couple of days. Different, but it worked for me. I still get verklempt and cry most every day. Will be glad to get the season over with!

Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, Happy Hanukkah, GO SEAHAWKS, and yada yada yada.

What I mean by all those cliches is:

May all your days be better than you could possible imagine.

Be more tolerant of others, especially those different than you. (I know, it is something we all need to remember every day.)

Try to look on the positive side of things since LIFE IS TOO SHORT. (If I know anything, it is this. But I also know, it is hard.)

AND Life is too short to waste it on empty Facebook homilies. Live Life!

Keep your friends and family close (even if they can drive you crazy, because they are also the ones who will keep you sane when things go downhill.)

So, my Christmas Wish this year is that everyone is as lucky as I am to have such great, supportive friends and family, and that you don’t need them for that any time soon!

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year!

Your sometimes depressed, sometime not, but still trying to be optimistic friend, Robin!

GO SEAHAWKS! BEAT THE RAMS! WOO HOO!