It's POSITIVELY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas everyone.


 I hope for those of you who hung up stockings before you went to bed last night that there were nice things inside. No coal I assume. For those of you who do not celebrate the holiday, may your own holiday be filled with love and peace. And if you have no holiday, I hope you have an excellent day!

Christmas is a spirit – a spirit of giving. Whether it’s in the name of Jesus, or St. Nick, or Santa. We all strive to find the right gift, be generous to the point of overindulgence. We donate to the Salvation Army bell ringers or send in a check to our favorite charity. But perhaps it is our overindulgence that makes us realize there are people less fortunate. And so we share.

I wish we could spread this giving spirit around – make it last all year. Maybe we can make that New Year’s Resolution a week early - try to be more understanding, more generous, more positive – more often!
 

Meantime, enjoy the cookies!

POSITIVELY DECKING THE HALLS and OH! CHRISTMAS TREE

by Mauverneen

 

When I put up my Christmas tree I realized how long it had been since I last had a tree of my own. Since I always made it ‘home’ for Christmas, I usually never bothered to put one up in my own house, since I wouldn’t be there to enjoy it. Opening the box of ornaments it felt like – well, Christmas! There were ornaments new and old, store bought and hand made, ornaments I’ve chosen,

It's POSITIVEly TUESDAY

It’s Positively Tuesday!

 

After days on end of gray skies and damp weather it was a nice surprise to wake up to sunshine and a light dusting of snow. Nothing you would call ‘measurable’ but it was there all the same. With the sun shining, it will be gone shortly. But for the moment, it’s pretty.

 

A light dusting

 

I don’t mind the snow – it’s the cold that does me in. Frigid temps that make breathing painful, ice-covered steps that cause falls, ‘black ice’ on the roads that cause accidents. But maybe all that cold helps us appreciate the warm days, just as the cloudy days make us appreciate a sunny one.

 

Ice covered branches

 

POSITIVELY ENJOYING THE RIDE

by Mauverneen

I’m not a comfortable flyer. I don’t like it. I don’t like the long lines, the long wait, the cramped seats, or the thought of hurtling through the air at 500 miles an hour. I much prefer the leisurely pace of a train ride.

The California Zephyr goes between Chicago, IL and Emeryville, CA.  In between, you cross the Mississippi River, follow the Colorado and Truckee Rivers, ride through canyons, pass through 29 tunnels, cross the Continental Divide as you pass through the six mile long Moffat Tunnel and see some pretty spectacular scenery.

Tunnels ahead, river below