Still Here

Still here.

Well, I feel as though I attempted to cover too much ground in my last entry. Everything I was feeling in that moment was painted with such a broad brush… Like the crappiest watercolor I’ve ever attempted to paint. I’m not a good painter.

The Handsome Tall Fellow & I went on a quest yesterday morning for THE MOST PERFECT HOLIDAY MUGS IN THE WORLD. I have big dreams for the perfect holiday mug. I would like it to be festive, but not cutesy or cliched. Nothing cartoon-y, or loud. I like something a little more solid, that doesn’t feel fragile to the touch. The Tall Fellow would like something that doesn’t get dwarfed in his catchers mitt hands. I want something that will provide comfort on cold, weekday mornings while I’m at home alone getting ready for work, watching the snow fly from the window beside my vanity. A multi-talented mug, that will also bring joy on weekend mornings, filled with coffee and Jamaican Cream Rum, while we lounge around in our pajamas in front of the fireplace. These mugs will be so wonderful that when they are unpacked ever year with the rest of our Christmas Decor, we will exclaim “Hurray! ‘Tis the Season for our PERFECT HOLIDAY MUGS!”

The quest didn’t end well. We went to a few shops in our neighborhood,then further away to a few big box stores that specialize in home decor. It was always the same story: Too Small, Too fragile, Too bright, Too cartoon-y. Our last ditch effort was to head back to our local Starbucks. We found something that could have been a candidate, but alas… A thin gold line around the rim. The universal symbol for “Cannot be Microwaved”

I know microwaves are bad. I know they will give me tumors, treat me badly, and talk behind my back to other appliances. I need to be clear that Jamaican Cream Rum is a difficult liquor to come across. It’s like precious gold up here in the Great White North. You never, under any circumstances, toss a cold cup of coffee and Jamaican Cream Rum down the drain. You warm it up again. You warm it up again and again for the next three weeks until the cup is finished, or face persecution by the Canadian Jamaican Cream Rum Regulation Board of Canada. True Story.

So, needless to say, the Starbucks Holiday Mugs failed to make the grade. Handsome Tall Fellow has returned to work. I am a lone soldier, but still on the quest.

Here I am on another Monday. It’s our quiet season and the department will probably not pick up until January. The holidays are on their way. I can feel them on the edges, glistening. You can catch the spirit in the office, as people make their rounds with Holiday Cards and Christmas Cookies, as our co-workers gather together in the lunchroom to wrap gifts for this year’s adopted family, as our goofy boss wanders the cubicles wearing his silly Santa hat.

This is my favorite time of year. The temperature is behaving itself, allowing Gregor and I the chance to explore our old and quirky community without fear of frostbite. Last night was a lovely walk. The air was just crisp enough to be refreshing. We wandered together, bundled up in warm coats, toques and scarves, pink cheeks, our minty hot chocolates in hand. We had fun frolicking through the streets, taking in the Christmas displays of our more “eccentric” neighbors.

Our neighborhood is the city’s best kept secret. It’s close enough to downtown that we can ride our bicycles through the pathways to get to all the juicy areas and not worry about the pains of parking. Independent businesses line the Main Street; clusters of antique shops, cafes, delicious restaurants, funky clothing stores, and hole in the wall pubs. A happy community, one of the oldest in the city, where blue collar workers, artists, and the elderly make their homes. The secret is guarded by our neighborhood’s slightly shady reputation, but you can see the truth in the smiles of people you pass on the sidewalk, by the hellos exchanged between strangers on street corners.
We have found the best place to be.

Weekdays have gotten difficult for me, but the wagons appear to be circling. I have coffee dates set up for this week, Yoga Classes to attend, and just one more rehearsal for my performance creation troupe before the holiday hiatus sets in.

Also, My Mother and I have decided that it’s time I learned to crochet.