I bought a Christmas Wreath today. I can't afford a tree and the trimmings but I wanted something to put up for people to see so they'd know that I cared; that I was grateful; that I was happy.
I think my puppy would like a tree to look at, to fret over and, eventually to destroy. Vet bills and doctor bills stop that. It saddens me but not very much. My puppy makes me laugh too hard to be sad about things like that.
I approach Christmas pretty much the same way all adults do, with lowered expectations and higher hopes. I have always wondered where peace is.
Last year I spent Christmas alone in the desert. I had a 79 cent Banquet turkey dinner for a Christmas feast.. I was stressed but I was not unhappy.
A few days later a dog would find me.
Where I work now, I work alone. That means i can bring my puppy to work with me most days. The two of us like that. I got a little Santa Claus Ornament (bisque, made in China) to hang on the door. When I showed it to my puppy she wanted to eat it. It made me wish I could figure out a way for us to get a small tree. We'll see, but it seems like a foolish excess, but maybe on Christmas Eve we can be out wandering and find a miracle.
I'm recovering from the cold. I'm not looking forward to the doctors on Wednesday, but I am looking forward to my puppy continuing to be a therapy dog in the children's ward of the county hospital. It makes us both feel pretty good but for completely different reasons. My puppy gets to run around and be an absolute maniac. I get to see her grow more comfortable in herself and I get to see a few kids not feel lonely. I think that's an "we all win" situation.

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