Dear Sunday Letter friends,
Welcome to today’s Sunday Letter – End of the Decade Edition. Sounds both ominous and celebratory, doesn’t it? But in the spirit of optimism, I’m expecting 2020 to tip the scale on the positive side. Wishful thinking. I truly believe in it.
But seriously. 2020? JUST YESTERDAY, I worked at State Bank & Trust in Dallas where the year 2000 loomed over us, unknown and questionable. We fretted and plotted and attended monthly Y2K planning meetings to prepare our computers and ourselves for possible issues when loan and deposit systems rolled from 1999 to 2000. I carried a 3-inch thick Y2K Emergency Manual in the trunk of my car! It was a requirement for all bank officers…
But alas, people way smarter than I wrote code and patched computers. As far as I know, Year 2000 arrived and no one’s money disappeared as we traveled into a new century.
And now here we are.
Betwixtmastime
The days between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day unfold in an odd way. Do they not? Our bodies and minds feel out of sync because sugar and cheese and all the other holiday food hits the brain and bloodstream like a powerful drug. Well, for me anyway.
Sleep schedules go a bit haywire too.
Most workplaces are on slow-mo because employees and customers float through this particular week confused over what day it is. Really, the world should completely rest until January 2.
Add to the confusion a mid-week Christmas Day. Wednesday became Saturday and Thursday became Sunday and all the other days randomly followed like playing cards tossed in the air.
And guess what?
We get to do this all over again on New Year’s Eve.
Resolutions (not)
I have no resolutions for 2020. Really, I’ve not thought about it for even a second. For the past several years, I’ve chosen One Little Word instead of a resolution—a word to focus myself around.
I’ve not thought of a word for 2020 either.
The truth is, I don’t remember my 2019 word. I’m not sure what this says about me or the power of One Little Word. Ha.
2020 may be a go-with-the-flow year for me. I’ll try to be kind, keep a positive attitude, and be open to whatever comes my way. Within reason.
Do you make resolutions? Or choose One Little Word?
Puzzle Time
This time of year, we usually have a puzzle going on the dining room table. Working a puzzle is a great way to fill in the gardening gaps winter inevitably brings. (Third only to reading and writing, of course.)
Yes, during this time of year, it’s easy to fall into the couch trap and veg away in front of the Hallmark Channel with a bag of potato chips. But a puzzle (or a board or card game) stimulates the brain. Television, on the other hand, leads to napping and snoring…
FYI, Barnes & Noble has an incredible selection of puzzles, including festive holiday ones.
In our neighborhood, people leave puzzles in our Little Free Library. It’s so much fun to find one and share one!
Little Women
We went to see Little Women this week. Loved it! Of course, I love every version of Little Women. The book is probably one of my top five favorites of all time. (On average, I read it every decade.)
This latest movie version remains true to the story yet has a slightly more contemporary vibe. Told in a series of flashbacks (rather than chronologically), this might be confusing to those who’ve never read the classic.
Is there anyone out there who hasn’t read the classic?
I’ve always thought of myself as a blend of Jo and Meg—part free-spirited writer and tomboy / part family-centered homebody who enjoys simple yet beautiful things.
Which March girl are you???
Things Momma Says:
I don’t need two pairs of velvet pants.
***
That’s a wrap on my last Sunday Letter in 2019.
Have a safe New Year’s Eve, friends.
See you next year, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.
?
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
P.S. I just looked back to see my One Little Word for 2019 was REFRESH. I don’t think it worked. LOL.
I agree about how confusing the week has been. Don’t know if there were two Mondays or two Saturdays.
I was just sitting here thinking about how 2020 is going to be a nice year. We will be grandparents and just are so excited. I decided that I won’t have many goals but rather go with how the year unfolds.
Happy New Years!
Just realized I do not own any velvet pants. Maybe that should be a goal.
You and Randy will be wonderful grandparents. I am excited for you! Yes, you need velvet pants. Just one pair though:))
The real Sunday is finally here! It has felt like Sunday to me for days, except of course there wasn’t a Sunday letter.
You may find it hard to believe, but I have not read Little Women. It’s a little embarrassing. I’ve been thinking about it. I’ll make it a goal along with my resolution to get back into power walking. It’s been a less than satisfactory exercising year for us. No good excuses but we blame it on the weather.
We traditionally do a puzzle with our family over the Christmas break but we didn’t this year. I gave all of the games and puzzles to our daughter during one of my downsizing frenzies. Time to visit Barnes and Noble for a new one. Gin rummy is one of our holiday/winter pass times.
Happy New Years to you and yours!!!!
I am so excited to know you will be reading Little Women soon! One of my book clubs chose it this year to re-read. I can’t wait.
I feel like the world is spinning so fast I might fly off into space….so no, I don’t usually do resolutions or words because I’m just hanging on.
I’ve been reading The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly. I picked it up at a thrift shop earlier in the fall & randomly started reading it over the holiday break. Then I noticed as I was reading my December Country Living magazine a whole on a Little Women Christmas. I think I need to go see the new movie. I’ve seen every version made . It’s one of my favorite stories.
I’ll have to check out both The Little Women Letters and the December Country Living magazine. I think you will enjoy the movie!
Love reading your last letter (Sunday) for 2019…want to see this version of the movie! We will ring in 2020 ..quietly…puzzles..yes..family traditions…oh and your momma …love it!! Velvet pants!! Happy New Year! How time goes so fast..the older we get…yes…just trying to hang on and I “fly by the seat of my pants” …January…thankful we love to read ….gets us through winter solstice!
We have so much in common!
I played Meg in our junior class play in high school❣️Still love that book!
High school plays are the best, aren’t they? And how fun to do Little Women.
I’m right there with you on feeling confused about days of the week and too much rich food, along with Christmas’ whirlwind arrival.
I love Little Women so it’s definitely on my movie list and I think I’ll read it again, now that you mention it.
We used to work a puzzle during Christmas break, but we didn’t get to that this year. We have several at the lake so we just might work on one when we’re there.
(I haven’t been on FB much and recently realized that for some annoying reason, notifications for several blogs and businesses I follow were shifted to my junk folder. I need to figure out how to remedy that. Sorry to have missed your posts. I’ve got some catching up to do!)
Happy New Year!