Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Merry?

Riddle: Why does Santa have a garden in his back yard?

Have you noticed the general mood this holiday season is a bit gloomier than usual?  I know I am myself having trouble entering the serene mood that generally prevails around this time of year.  I thought I needed to go to one of those web sites that offer only good news to bring a little light to my countenance.

But instead I went out shopping.  Mostly for groceries, but also for a Christmas-themed sweater – I have several Christmas/winter-themed sweatshirts but no sweater.  To my amazement, they were already gone from the shelves (I was hoping to find one at a deep discount).  Instead I got a long-sleeved t-shirt with a Scottie dog on its front, the Scottie further ornamented with a red-plaid bow.  It was forty percent off, too.  I used to have a Scottie and he was a grand dog, bright, brave and stubborn.  Just seeing that instantly-identifiable outline cheered me up. The stores were packed but everyone was cheerful – just like the tv movies show it, but like it hardly ever is in real life.  It helps that we have plenty of snow on the ground, but it’s really cold – stings the nose and bites the toes, to coin a phrase.

Another thing to raise the spirits: this clever show-n-tell Inuit version of “The Hallelujah Chorus” moves me to happy tears! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyviyF-N23A

There was once a musical called, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” which was pretty good.  I remember Snoopy singing a song with the line, approximately, “Do you ever feel now and then you want to bite someone?”  Well, I’m getting impatient for the murder to happen in the book I’m writing, but I still have some more setting up to do.  That may be a sign my readers will be impatient, too.  Hmmm . . .  Grrrr – woof!

I hope you all are having a splendid holiday season, and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

Answer:  Because he loves to hoe, hoe, hoe!

4 comments:

Chrystle Fiedler said...

Thanks for your post! Merry Christmas to all! Chrystle

Christine Thresh said...

Merry Christmas to you, Monica. I was just re-reading one of your Betsy books set in wintertime. It made me think of you in cold, cold MN.

Betty Hechtman said...

I'm glad you found a way to cheer up. It was 80 degrees here today and sunny. I have been feeling gloomy too, but the sun and the warmth did a lot to cheer me up.

Monica Ferris said...

Oh, Betty, now I have two reasons to wish I could come for a visit: one, to get away from the cold and snow for a few days, and two, to take a couple of crochet lessons. A friend sent me a gift of a crocheted scarf and very pretty hat, and another friend wished aloud for a copy of it. I can sort of crochet, but now I'd like to make a hat and scarf for my friend.