CHRISTMAS IS UPON US AND THE NEW YEAR IS CLOSE

My sister prepares her table for eleven family members for Christmas dinner.

Why, oh why, am I such a procrastinator? We leave tomorrow and I haven't even wrapped all my gifts. Today was filled with getting ready, but I ran out of steam before I finished.

I got an idea to make a collage for my niece's family gift. That involved my husband working at the computer for a couple of hours, and it required me going through Mama Robison's trunk where I store "our lives in photos" and digging through years and years of photographs. But it turned out beautifully. This niece is gorgeous with her long dark hair and beautiful smile. We found two photos of her and her husband, and another of her that Barry cropped to make a closeup of just her face and hair. We also included two photos of "my favorite baseball player" - one when he was about three and another when he was seven or eight.

I'm very proud of what we accomplished and, as we are trying to give less expensive gifts this year, I think this framed collection be just right.

In the process of looking through all those albums, I almost forgot I needed to get in the kitchen and make my southern cornbread dressing that I always take for Christmas dinner. Oh, it is going to be good!

I toasted pecans last night. Barry said, "Aren't you going to fix the pecans. It's Christmas, you know." I wish the nuts weren't as expensive as they are. Over seven dollars a pound now. When I was growing up on the farm and even after I married, I never paid for pecans. We had several trees on the land and my father picked up just the ones in his yard each year, cracked and shelled them for all of us. That was his Christmas gift.. He also sent them to his sisters in Florida - Aunt Annie and Aunt Hortense. I don't know if he ever knew how special his gift was to each of us..

I decided to give away some of my things that I think others can use and enjoy. Two lovely silver pieces that belonged to my mother-in-law will go to younger folks who entertain and might not mind the silver polishing they require.

In my other life before I came to the mountains, I was an oil painter. I have a number of favorite paintings I've kept all these years, but one I like best of all is going to some of our dearest friends, Jeff and Wanda.They have a new house and said they'd like one of my paintings. I'll be happy knowing it will grace their warm home..

As for me and what I want for Christmas, I can't think of a thing that I couldn't live without. I want to divest myself of "things". I have learned that the more stuff I own, the more responsibility I have for this stuff and the more it takes away from me the one thing I never have enough of -- time. If someone could bottle time and wrap it up with paper and ribbon, I'd certainly want it under the tree with my name on it. But I don't need anymore whatnots, "put abouts" or things to dust.

When spring comes and the sun comes out and warms the air enough for folks to start their Saturday morning yard sale visits, I will have a garage filled with items to sell. For the next few months, I'm de-cluttering once again.

Several of my friends get this same yen to clean out and start afresh. Maybe it is the thought of the new year, a new beginning, cleaning out the cobwebs in our house and in our minds.

We set goals as to what we will accomplish this year. We will spend more time on our writing - submit that chapbook - put together our family stories, read all the books on our shelves that we just haven't had time to get to this year.

But I have one resolution I will definitely stick to in 2009. I'll spend more quality time with my buddy, my best companion for over 40 years. We will take more day trips like we used to do. We will find more time to just talk to each other. We will overlook the small petty things that cause a rift between us. I will put him and his welfare ahead of all else.

Time is flying and we can't bring back a wasted minute.

I see the possiblities ahead for growing and learning and loving. I plan to take advantages of those possiblities.