Christmas and elk season are a lot alike in my book.  Each year we know they are coming, the dates are etched on the calendar and in our minds effortlessly.  The entire year seems to revolve around October and December.  As soon as one year passes the next year immediately begins forming plans and yet somehow, they sneak up.  Like the ultimate creeper.  One day we are whooping it up on a water slide in July and the next thing you know we are slinging lash ropes, packing clothes, freezing chili and exercising horses, like 5 days of preparation is going to do anything other than make them sore.  It simply arrives.  The same with this Christmas, every Christmas.  All year I vowed to not over-extended myself, to spend time relaxing and enjoying the season, to bake and eat and visit and nap and watch sappy Christmas movies against my family’s will.  And while I have admittedly done less I’ve still found myself with Christmas less than 3 days away and I feel like it is over already.  That gingerbread house I wrote about last month?  Not made.  Those pretty rolls of ribbon and wrapping paper?  Not bought.  The cards I was sending out?  Only 3/4 made it.  The hours and hours I was going to spend visiting with family?  Didn’t happen.  Perhaps it is all poor planning on my part.  Maybe it is the Devil.  Maybe, maybe, maybe.  Maybe I need to stop focusing so much on two seasons of the year and focus more on the ‘today’ I’m in.  Maybe planning ahead is killing my chances of right now.  Maybe I need to murder my notebook, burn my list and just enjoy today.  Because next elk season, next Christmas is not guaranteed.

I have 3 days left to absorb the season.  I intend on making them count.  And the next 365 to come?  I plan on tackling them all one at a time, hour-by-hour if needed, wasting no more time on obsessive lists, useless regrets and happiness eating habits.  My new year starts today.  I am going to enjoy it.  And tomorrow, I’m going to enjoy it as well and so on and so forth ect ect ect.  (By the way, ect ect ect makes me think about ‘The King and I’ which makes me think about Yul Brynner which makes me think about Charlton Heston in ‘The Ten Commandments’ which I watched on Sunday which makes me happy since I’m kinda in love with Charlton Heston.  And Yul Brynner.)

Because I believe, happiness and contentment are, like most things, habit.  And watching Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner on Sunday afternoons.

So here’s to you, my fair readers, may you have a lovely Christmas Eve Eve, embrace it, enjoy it, make it count.

I’m going to spend it hanging out with these people.  My two great Loves.  Also my favorite picture from elk camp this year.

Love ya’.