“How can you be mad at a person and not remember why?” he asks in disbelief.
“I don’t know. I just know.”
Which makes about as much sense as holding a grudge for something you can’t remember.
“Did you have another dream?”
~~
There was the time, long ago, when I dreamed that a woman flirted with my husband.
I woke up the next morning and was very upset with him.
“Was she pretty, at least?” he asked.
“This is not a joking matter,” I replied huffily.
“But why are you blaming me? SHE was the one who flirted!”
“Well, you were probably encouraging her!”
“So you’re blaming ME because some woman flirted with me — in a dream?” He asked.
“Yes!”
“But it wasn’t even MY dream!” he protested.
“That’s no excuse,” I pouted.
~~
Now, what the heck had he done this time? I couldn’t remember.
It wasn’t because of The Case of the Missing Ski Sock.
Although, I was pretty mad at the time.
“Are you sure you didn’t put my sock somewhere?” he kept asking. “That’s my expensive ski sock.”
So of course I went looking. Hours later, I’d completely re-organized his very messy closet – but still no sock.
He had learned early on that if he accused me of removing his keys, pen, wallet, cell phone, socks — you name it — I’d go searching till I found the darned thing, right where he had misplaced it. But it took me decades to catch on. Decades. Yes, I’m really that daft.
Now, if only I could recall why I’m mad at him this time.
How can I forgive and forget if I can’t remember?
~~
Dedicated to all loving partners who con their spouses into finding things they’ve lost — and to the loving, crazy people they live with.
But every saint has a past and every sinner has a future, and since this is the Advent season, I am full of hope for my own redemption.
So I’ve been trying to make Christmas arrangements again. A solitary, mindful activity that suits my Advent mood well.
First off: I had no budget. So all, or almost all, the ingredients had to come from my own garden, or from inside my house somewhere.
The first result is a bit uneven.
I used:
Red dogwood twigs
Evergreen spruce
Dried hydrangea flowers
Pine cones
A couple of grapevine balls
A few Christmas ornaments.
The second one, with much the same ingredients — plus an old fake bird and a single dried rose still on its long stem — showed more promise. Maybe it was just shaped better.
That encouraged me to try a different, larger design. I used mainly spruce branches, dried hydrangea, dried astilbe and a reddish branch of something.
But this one was not quite right – I’m still not sure why.
Maybe the blue Everlasting flower from an indoor arrangement doesn’t fit? (Yes, I kept the dried-up flowers from arrangements sent us when my husband was ill.)
Finally, I felt bold enough to confront the long plant stand. You may remember that arrangement from last year – it was an inelegant mess.
Christmas Greenery
Could I do better this year?
Totally intimidated at first, I cheated.
I bought some discounted southern magnolia branches – 3 bunches at 5 bucks a bunch… a major steal. At least, I think that’s magnolia – those leaves that are shiny-green-on-one-side, rust-coloured-on-the-other.
And here is the arrangement:
My mother used to say: “Self praise is no recommendation.” So I shall make no editorial comment.
Instead, I shall sit back and await your accolades.
Don’t let me down, now.
Fishing for compliments is exhausting.
Photos by Hamlin Grange
**
Dedicated to my sister Pat and all domestic divas, including many in my blogging network (you know who you are).
