Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A Good Mail Day

Today, the mailman brought the Dec. issue of Hopscotch magazine in which my article, "Waste Not, Want Not," is published. It's beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Spohn. It's a memoir piece about living in India and using everything. This was an ICL assignment years ago, so I was very, very happy when Hopscotch accepted it. Too bad I didn't have any pictures to go with the article. I share this issue with my good friend Shirley Anne Ramaley, who not only is a prolific writer but is a blue-ribbon photographer. Do check out her website.
*


It's nice to get back into the school routine. I'm working on a short story and novel revisions again. We decorated our fake Christmas tree on Sunday. I'm not ready for a real tree this year with two kittens. Look at them! They've been having a great time playing with all the ornaments. They remind me of both our older cats when they were kittens. Such fun, such chaos. They nose the bells, chew on sticks and pulls the ornaments off. This morning, one of the kittens brought an ornament upstairs ... a fuzzy Santa with sticks. I told the kids that our job will be to fight entropy with the naughty kittens.



I hope everyone is enjoying getting back to their normal routine and not getting stressed over Christmas. I have one word for you: Marantha. It means, Come, Lord!

*

7 comments:

Mary Witzl said...

What a great thing to get in the mail, and how lovely those pictures our. On top of that,'waste not' is a theme that is dear to my heart, as you know. AND you've got kittens!

I won't get stressed out this Christmas because I'm opting out of the whole circus of duty giving. Our tree will probably be real -- we live in a place where evergreens seed themselves freely and are often cut down -- but it will be simply decorated, and I'm keeping baking to a minimum. But I've got great hopes for Christmas despite all that -- in fact because of all that.

Bridgette Booth said...

Congrats on the article. I love when I get mail like that. :)

My girls decorated our (fake) tree this year and no stress. We took hold of our holidays years ago so we could use them to serve instead allowing our (my!) expectations of the holidays to control us.

I get a little anxious at times when I see someone I admire doing "it" all (in my eyes) but after a deep breath and a prayer, I'm usually re-focused. :)

Hope you and your family have a wonderful season.

Vijaya said...

Mary - thank you. The kittens do make it fun and they're the best Christmas ever. And I like your idea of keeping things simple. They will be at our home this year as well. I usually do a lot of baking, but I don't know if my energy will hold up ... we'll see. If the kids want to do it, I'll let them have at it ...

Bridgette -- thank you. I don't get much mail like this because I don't sub much any more. This was from years ago, so it was truly a surprise.

I love your idea of using Christmas to serve those who have less. Makes it so much more meaningful. My kids love picking out doves from the Giving Tree. I confess this year I've done not a whit of shopping because I've been ill and the only two packages under the tree are for me ... from my kids. Bless their hearts. Thankfully, they adore books and I have the ability to shop online :)

MG Higgins said...

Your kitties are adorable. We adopted two brothers and this will be their first experience of a Christmas tree. I'm not looking forward to it! I think we'll have to limit the ornaments to only half-way down the tree. These guys are VERY mischievous.

BTW, I linked to your website in my recent blog post. (I'm writing nonfiction and love your WFH info.) http://mghiggins.blogspot.com/

Vijaya said...

Thanks for stopping by Melissa. Oh, you've got to have some ornaments for the kitties down below -- otherwise they will climb the tree!

So glad to know you are doing WFH. I look forward to reading your titles when they come out ... one great thing is that you don't have to wait long. This fall?

Marcia said...

Congrats on the article! You know the Hopscotch group works far ahead when an article you wrote as an ICL STUDENT comes out long after you became an ICL INSTRUCTOR.

Oh, there are "my" kitties. :) They leave the tree alone pretty well, although the tiger one gets occasional licks in.

Vijaya said...

Marcia, I remember looking at the dates thinking 2010 will never come ... but how time flies. I still have stories pending with Ladybug and Highlights and my kids are growing up too fast ... these were specially written for THEM!

I'm so glad I don't have a real tree this year. Every so often I pick up the ornaments and hang them up, but when they hear the bells or any rustling, they are right there beside me, those two naughties. Such fun to have kittens in the household again. The kids are loving the entire experience and the puppy too. Here comes one -- he hears the clacking of my keys :)