VICARIOUS LIVING -- VIRUS -- LANGUAGE INFLUENCES HEALTH

       "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history." 

POV  

I'll refrain for now from elaborating more on the anger I feel toward those U.S. politicians -- who clearly aren't statepersons -- continuing to betray their oath to our constitution and protection of our democratic republic by not holding accountable those responsible for the traitorous acts and murders associated with the Capitol's assault January 6th -- another day of infamy!  Meanwhile we must keep refuting the deceptions, disinformation, lies, conspiracy theories used to undermine our democratic republic.

VICARIOUS LIVING

On a more mood-altering note, living vicariously one night this week, I virtually visited the Big Bear Mountains via the live camera focused on the vacant Bald Eagle nest.  The ferocious sound and sight of wind gusts blowing the spitting snow whipping through the tree nest tapped into sensory memories of times when I had such similar real experiences though on the ground and not hundreds of feet up in a tree.  The recollection caused me to shiver involuntarily though I was now warmly ensconced in my recliner chair far removed from this real scene.

I couldn't help thinking how glad I was the eagles first clutch of eggs had not survived to hatch.  The baby birds might well have not lived through the series of storms we're having with more snow, wind, rain and cold temperatures expected in the coming week.

This past week over 2 feet of snow in 48 hours in those mountains and the ones above where I live became welcome rain at our lower elevation.  "On average, thirteen inches of snow equals one inch of rain in the US, although this ratio can vary from two inches for sleet to nearly fifty inches for very dry, powdery snow under certain conditions" as reported by the National Severe Storms Laboratory.

Hopefully, we'll draw closer to building more adequate water reserves described by California Department of Water Resources since we're behind for the coming dry summer heat.

Will be interesting to see if after this next storm the eagles refurbish their nest which a raven couple rearranged following their devouring the first clutch of eggs.  I wonder, will the eagles try again to raise a family this year starting a new clutch in February?  Here's that Big Bear live cam link if you want to see what's happening up there.  The scenic mountain lake view and sounds can be relaxing even if nothing else is happening.

VIRUS

Here in the human world, we're busy trying to ward off a virus we cannot see but one equipped to inflict considerable disruption in our lives and even take the life of some of us.  This devious virus mutates and evolves to circumvent the medications used to treat and destroy this enemy.  So, we now have variant viruses including at least one version stronger than all others that may be somewhat immune to the vaccines our scientists have created.  

Meanwhile, in the U.S. and around the world people are rushing to obtain what they hope will be a life preserving vaccination against these viruses.   Near me in Los Angeles County at our fairgrounds free vaccinations are being administered to a never-ending line of those driving through who have been able to make a reservation.   Even more people complain of difficult time-consuming efforts on the Internet or even by phone trying to make a reservation because there are so many in need.  The necessary vaccine is limited in quantity, too, as are the distribution sites while manufacturers are rushing to meet the demand.

While I am now eligible to receive a vaccination, I have decided to simply wait for my pharmacy or physician to receive a vaccine supply and have my injection provided by one of them.  They will contact me to reserve an appointment once they have vaccine.  Until then, I will continue to follow the safety precautions I have been taking successfully the past year.   So what are a few more months or however long it takes.  I fully intend to take those same precautions for a time after I receive any vaccination, too.  Who knows, by then maybe the inoculation I receive will have been modified to resist the latest viral variants and might even be refined to require only one injection for protection -- or not.  Whatever, I'm prepared to adjust accordingly.

LANGUAGE INFLUENCES HEALTH

I may be in a better position than many to be somewhat isolated from society,  living alone as I do and no longer working.  Even the challenge of grocery shopping is eased with delivery and pick-up services coupled with the Internet's offerings.  I can still safely drive to drive-thru restaurants.  There are so many people who need to be out and about, are necessarily exposed to other people in the process of earning for their livelihood who are in more need of vaccine protection than I am.   Others seem much less able to adapt to a more confined life with limited physical contact to other people than I experience.  Even virtual contact seems to be intolerable for some after only a short period of time in their life though I'm quite satisfied with the limited amount I have.

Maybe the Just Scream hotline, closed January 21st, serves as a better form of release though I've never found that to be a successful outlet for me no matter how frustrated I feel.  I just read that, apparently, people have more to scream about, so effective February 1st they are reopening Scream's phone line -- in case you're interested click on the link above.

We all have different needs and limitations to our acceptable thresholds for being able to function effectively with the physical absence of others.  Some seem to be better able to accept their situation without becoming distressed.  Others seem to be more needy.  I think for some, just the conscious knowledge their freedoms and choices have become limited for any reason, despite the fact it certainly isn't permanent, has created so much anxiety in their mind and thinking, they seem compelled that they must resist at all cost, however illogical or irrational that may be.   I'm not much for volatile emotional outbursts as a release such as those mask wearing resistors demonstrate.  The stereotypical tale of redheads having hot tempers is another one of those falsehoods which as one I can confirm.

I do believe how and what we think with the words we choose has considerable bearing on how events unfold in our lives.  I remain quite convinced the language to ourselves we use in our heads does influence our attitude, thoughts, emotional state and behaviors to impact our health for better or worse.  When stress becomes distress our language to ourselves can alter that state as described in this Mayo Clinic link.  Self-talk benefits have been noted in various studies including even reducing pain such as discussed at Healthline.com.   I wonder if others put a premium on the words they tell themselves or if doing so matters little?

SO-CAL WINTER -- SANITY -- VACCINATONS

             "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history."

Winter has finally arrived here in Southern California.   What that means where I live at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains is, we're finally receiving some rain, but unfortunately not much so far.  Our outdoor temperature is cold but not below freezing.  The mountains above us are expected to receive snow.  This weather may actually persist for a week or two.

Life already seems a bit more sane with our new U.S. President in the White House coupled with the administration he is forming.  We now have a President who actually believes in his oath of office, is dedicated to protecting our constitution.  

Our new President expects all government appointees and employees allegiance to be to our constitution unlike the personal demands of the person he replaced who betrayed his oath and the American people.  Our new President promises truth which will be refreshing after the four years of all the lies to which we were subjected from our former leader.

Lots of unfinished business remains including achieving accountability from those who violated our U.S. Constitution while falsely claiming to be patriots defending democracy.  Of course, any thinking person recognizes their violent overt and covert actions demonstrated they were in fact destroying democracy.   Rooting out those destructive forces attempting to take autocratic control of our government will take time requiring also that we continue to guard against any others like them in the future.

I am heart-brokenly angered that we citizens must necessarily confront home-grown terrorists on our own shores -- that we are now required to take such action to preserve our democratic republic's freedoms.  Still, that is our responsibility as our forebearers cautioned: "...if you can keep it."  

I like the idea describing our nation's situation expressed by the young poet, Amanda Gorman at the Presidential inauguration.   Our nation is young, we are in the process of growing which includes making and learning from mistakes.   We are:

                   "A Nation that isn't broken, simply unfinished."               

Covid-19 Vaccinations 

A young family member on the east coast has been engaged in administering the vaccine.    She also reports recently receiving her second Pfizer injection, experienced only some slight swelling and soreness at her arm's shot site.

Vaccinations against Corvid-19 continue here in Los Angeles County but not without considerable problems for those attempting to make a required reservation.  Initially the reservation website system crashed but, hopefully, will now continue to be operative.  

Complicating matters has been officials reports of receiving limited vaccine but only learning from one week to the next how much they'll actually receive.  Obviously, how do they plan in advance each week how many reservations can be accepted under such circumstances?

Now that it has been revealed the previous federal administration did not hold back vaccine for later release as they had said, there is concern L.A. County may not have an adequate amount to provide the second injection when it is due for some recipients.  Remains to be seen if that issue will develop or how it will be addressed.

What about Pfizer shipping fewer Covid-19 vials to the U.S. after language changes on the order when "extra" serum was discovered in the vials?   Some pharmacists report having difficulty extracting that "extra" amount.  

I'm considering here in L.A. County that there seem to be a number of issues surrounding possible vaccine availability, distribution, coupled with the rush of people seeking the vaccination as they invite more groups of people and open an increasing number of drive-thru locations providing the injections.

One large drive-thru at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds has opened near me.  Years ago my husband and I went there a couple years when they offered the annual flu shot, which proved to be a very efficient process.

I've decided to bide my time for now, deferring getting the vaccination rather than getting caught up in the current milieu of people and issues.  I'm sure many individuals are much more in need of the Covid-19 protection than I am as they need to work, risk having to encounter lots of people in their business and day-to-day lives.  

Maybe the next vaccine will be approved for use before long.   The most recent one mentioned is from Johnson & Johnson and is one injection.   The clinical trial results will be released soon which will be of interest in terms of the efficacy percentage and side effects.  Of course, we do not choose the vaccine we want to take and accept whatever is being distributed at the time wherever we live.  

Meanwhile, I will simply continue practicing the precautions as I have been including  staying at home more than I would have in the past -- a while longer certainly, but that won't be a great inconvenience for me.  

What about you?   

RELIEF -- UNFINISHED NATION -- FEELING GOOD

       "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history."

Inauguration Date:   January 20, 2021

President:          Joseph Biden

Vice-President:  Kamala Harris

Amanda Gorman, Inaugural Poet, National Youth Poet Laureate  -- CNBC YouTube Video

Her words:

"A Nation that isn't broken, simply unfinished."

"But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.                            In this truth, in this faith, we trust"

 

Nina Simone -- Feeling Good

INAUGURATION -- VACCINATIONS -- FREEDOM FLYING

"The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history." 

Countdown dates:

Sometime before Jan. 20th:     Lame Duck President reportedly will exit White House.  Moving vans observed .

January 20, 2021 at noon:         President Joseph Biden is inaugurated.

POV 

-- I continue to be constantly amazed at our LDP's supporters and enablers who persist in denying the truth, ignore his words and actions that document his lies for which he must be accountable.   People died!

-- Acts occurred designed to usurp our democratic republic and void "...the most secure election in the history of America" based solely on lies reported as facts that could not be documented for the simple reason that they were untrue!

-- Enablers denying those truths they know but persisting in spreading the lies are even more reprehensible.

-- Inability or unwillingness of LDP's supporters or enablers to recognize violent individuals as domestic terrorists when they were encountered or observed is alarming!

-- Believers of such fallacies and deniers of truth are truly exhibiting cult-like behavior when they cease to be capable of critically thinking, using logic to assess facts, resist doing so by exercising even common sense.

CORONAVIRUS IN SO-CAL

The coronavirus surges on in SoCal.  The first U.S county with over a million residents in Los Angeles County alone have been infected in the past year.   The new highly contagious variant is now here, also.   Hospitals in L.A. County are at the brink of having to adopt triage techniques if infection numbers, need for more beds in ICU increases.  Only now are the possible effects developing from those who ignored safety precautions over the Christmas holidays.  

Our California Governor has declared all those age 65 and older can now begin receiving vaccinations which is occurring in most counties.  Unfortunately,  L.A. County has had a slower roll out of the vaccine and medical personnel are still inoculating health care workers and patients in skilled nursing settings per Phase 1A.

Probably all individuals 75 years and older will begin to be able to receive the vaccination around the beginning of February we were originally told, but the newer Governor's declaration of age 65 and older automatically covers that age group -- once L.A. County moves to Phase 1B, greatly enlarging the group that will all be seeking  a vaccination at the same time.  Where the inoculations will be administered is not yet specified -- possibly in our General Practitioner's office and or other sites TBA.

There is concern now as to whether or not there will be adequate vaccines throughout the United States, including to be able to provide the second vaccine injection at the designated time.  Seems our LDP's administration has lied to the American people saying they had a vaccine supply in reserve for the required second injection when, in fact, it was all distributed earlier.  Apparently the vaccine was factored into current distribution efforts by those receiving it under the erroneous belief the Federal Government had the second injection reserve yet to release.   

Whatever happens, I expect to continue observing safety precautions, including staying at home, for some time to come -- even for a period after I would receive whatever vaccination injections I may eventually be given, whenever.

ENVIRONMENTAL

We're having a Southern California mini-heat wave -- temperatures breaking records across the area into the 80'sF, pushing 90 degrees, in the midst of our very dry winter.  We're so far behind on rain we can only hope the rainy weather predicted for next weekend arrives.  

FREEDOM FLYING -- The U. S. National Symbol -- The American Bald Eagle

I was all set to share exciting news that the Big Bear Bald Eagle pair whose activities I've written about here the past two years were readying to start a family in 2021.  I had virtually visited their nest at Big Bear Lake nestled near the top of a Jeffrey pine tree about 120 feet high off the ground in December 2020.  Cougar Jackie and Shadow I observed affectionately beaking one another as they refurbished their nest with more sticks and a little fluff.  

There is a streaming live action solar powered camera which has been upgraded focused on their infrared lit nest 24/7 so we can view their activities without disturbing the eagles, thanks to the Friends of Big Bear Valley, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the 15-mile valley.  

Needing sone respite from the January 6th D.C. Capitol events, I paid another virtual visit to the Bald Eagle family later that day to discover Jackie had laid an egg.  Their first egg last year was laid in early January, a few days later she laid a second egg, but unlike the previous year, neither hatched later for unknown reasons.

I checked back the next day to see Jackie standing over the nest with the one egg very visible.  She seemed anxious, so referencing the chat I learned from the regular watchers there, Shadow had not yet returned to the nest so did not know they had an egg.  This was worrisome because he wasn't around now to relieve Jackie of egg incubating duties, or even feed her at times.  Ravens and crows could be heard cawing their sounds nearby then quieted.  Jackie flew away briefly only to return, then uttering long loud calls, possibly for Shadow, but there was no response.  Finally, she flew away again.

Soon the Ravens could be heard drawing closer to the nest, eventually entering it when they received no signs of resistance to their presence.  Shortly the dominate Raven began pecking at the egg, eventually penetrating it to consume the contents which the other Raven was finally able to share, too.  Soon after they finished eating, they made a hasty retreat as Jackie returned, saw the egg was gone with only a shell bit left off to one nest side.  

A few days later when I virtually visited again I read Jackie had laid a second egg but it broke when she was in labor.   In another few days Jackie laid a third egg.  Shadow had returned brought her a coot to eat, took turns sitting on the nest to incubate the egg.  This third egg was frequently left exposed by both birds which was thought might be an accepted technique to delay the eggs development.  This can be done up to a point as Jackie was initially thought to have been awaiting formation of a fourth egg which would be a viable second egg in the current nest had she laid one -- but she didn't.   

These Bald Eagles behavior has seemed focused elsewhere for reasons we may never know.  But as time passed both parental birds seemed to stay away more from the nest.  So that last egg was eaten by the ravens, too.  Maybe J & S just decided to forego continuing with this clutch.  The question is, will they try again with another clutch in this nest later this year?  Maybe in February?

Live cam URL:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWEgPK13Ttl

Checking in on Jackie and Shadow periodically will be of special interest to me during this nesting season as the pandemic has me staying safe at home, especially as we're being told to do during this latest infection surge.  Unlike we humans activities hampered by the Covid-19 virus, its variations, these creatures are free as the birds they are to go about their lives as usual.  The mystery of whatever is going on in their world now, seems even they are having to adapt to what appears to be different from their expected routine.

DEMOCRACY SURVIVES WHITE HOUSE BETRAYAL

        "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history."

Covid-19 in Los Angeles County, California,  is continuing to surge as those who may have contracted the virus during the Christmas season holidays begin to experience the infection, needing to seek medical care.   Medical "triage officers" have been established in the event beds, doctors, nurses, staff are inundated to the extend service cannot be provided to all patients as needed.  

Countdown dates:                         2020 Presidential Election - Nov. 3rd 

January 6, 2021                U.S. Electoral College vote finalized, accepted in Congressional joint session -- as truth, law and order finally prevailed following sedition/coup attempt.

   ? ? ?                                Current Lame Duck President Exits the White House following unsuccessful sedition/coup attempt in Capitol. 

January 20, 2021 at noon:  President Joseph Biden is inaugurated.

Personal POV

I feel compelled to express my thoughts and opinions about the dangerous assault on our democratic republic January 6, 2021.   Be forewarned in the event you want to avoid reading what I have to say.  Likely you have had more than your share of feelings and thoughts about this situation, too, and may feel overloaded with it all.

I was repulsed, angered and saddened by the criminal actions evolving from the phony protest march turned mob in Washington D.C. that I viewed on television news coverage this past week. Our Congress was conducting their constitutionally required business when they were violently disrupted.  

Knowing how democracies are weakened, witnessing how this now Lame Duck President (LDP) for four years has been following steps to subvert our government to an autocracy, history has shown a violent coup event could be a very predictable possibility at some point.  I did not want to believe such would actually ever occur in my United States of America.  

I am heart-broken that our nation has been so dishonored by some misguided individuals who violated the very values they claim to be defending.  In fact, their violent actions served to undermine our democratic republic.   Perhaps some were seduced to act with extremist groups dedicated to destroying our form of government.  This now LDP promised years ago he intended to change our form of government, but did not some of his cult-like followers understand what this meant, or do they truly not believe in our democratic republic?   

These extremist groups care nothing about those mislead citizen's values if they were in fact seduced into their mob.  All continued to be incited by actions and words of our LDP.   His chaotic methods  have intentionally and systematically been  designed to position himself to become an autocratic leader who they blindly support.  

There are others who must share blame for the violence that occurred.  All those who the past four years enabled this now LDP are accountable for the Capitol Hill events Wednesday, January 6, 2021 and also have blood on their hands including for five people who died in this melee.  Voters should, at the very least, see that these enablers are not returned to serve in our government come election day, if not sooner.  

Regrettably, one political party in particular must bear the brunt of responsibility for not having reined in this LDP.   Too many of them failed to present as a needed trusted, respectable group, clearly not fulfilling their oath of office to protect our democracy and the best interests of the American people.   

Deserving to be removed from office are those who put forth LDP's repeated lies, false conspiracy theories, knowing they weren't true.  Some even continued to propagate those same lies that night after the failed coup attempt, as some legislative leaders persisted in debating acceptance of some certified votes for President-elect Joseph Biden's and Vice-President Kamala Harris' election.

Surely, the cult-like followers of this LDP must now realize he does not offer a democratic form of government, represent true patriotism, support our constitution or law and order.  Even in this LDP's current rhetoric about cooperation for transition to the newly elected administration his words are false.  

His promises to continue a drive toward authoritarianism is semi-disguised in a false claim that he is supporting our democracy and constitution.   If this LDP's four years of efforts to undermine American citizens trust in our system of government so we would turn to him as our savior was his expectation, he has failed this time.  Even if he doesn't return to try again later, there will be others who may be much more subtly adept at doing so in the future so we must be on guard.

Countries around the world have witnessed the strength of the majority of our people to preserve our values, democracy, republic, constitution, freedoms and way of life.  They have also seen first-hand our government's weaknesses which we are now especially challenged to rectify.

Those autocratic governments who oppose democracies will attempt to continue belittling and undermining our own.  Surely we have learned we must take much greater care in the future about who we vote into Congress and the White House to represent our nation's values.  We need to monitor well those we vote into governmental offices beginning at our local, county, state, national levels.  We must hold them accountable once in office.

Democracy is fragile as has been dramatically revealed by the end result of this LDP's actions and that of the mob he cultivated for four years.  He has periodically incited, then finally ignited them into an act of insurrection, sedition, a coup attempt.  While he did not succeed, the monied forces behind this leader, using him and he using them, including even those claiming to be religious people of god acting with the atheists, can be expected to continue their efforts to acquire power.

The intent to take over our government persists, to form into their mold in the years ahead -- ultimately jeopardizing individual rights and freedoms as occurs with all authoritarian governments such as Russia, China, North Korea, Iran (theocracy), Saudi Arabia (monarchy), Turkey,  numerous others including various European nations.  History shows us, too, how democracies devolve into autocracies such as occurred in the 1930's culminating in WWII necessitating a desperate but successful effort to preserve some freedom in the world.  

Americans dedicated in actions as well as words to following our constitution as a nation of laws and order in a democratic republic must exercise our responsibility to ensure we keep this system.  We do this by how we conduct our individual lives, tolerate and respect our differences.  None of the authoritarian governments have the individual freedoms we do.  I don't believe any Americans want to give up our freedoms but that would be the result of losing our democracy to such extremists as those who attempted the January 6th coup attempt.

We need to support The Fourth Estate -- our Press -- discern those who follow high journalistic standards to keep us informed with truth, facts.  This means exercising critical thinking to eliminate attending to those who pander in undocumented gossip, conspiracy theories, disinformation, alternate facts, fail to differentiate opinion from actual fact.

We would be wise to take as a grain of salt all we read or hear on social media sites as it is little more than gossip one might hear on any street corner or over the backyard fence -- a mix of fact and fiction, often warped and distorted, that must be later verified for viability through reliable respectable documented sources.  To do otherwise leads to wasting time and effort, confusion, anxiety and false beliefs, often leading some users to ill health from needless worry.  If we choose to focus on such sites with information disseminated unchecked, we do so at our own risk of being misinformed or worse.

Perhaps the day will come when these social media sites claiming they simply offer free speech will become more responsible purveyors of allowing primarily factual truthful information rather than mostly being exploiters of users to enhance their company's bottom line.  These social media sites do seem to have finally made some effort since the Jan. 6th assault on our nation to recognize they bear some responsibility for moderating what is allowed to be dispensed given the influence and power of the medium.  

We must recognize some of us, more than I ever imagined could possibly exist in this country, hold extremist views contrary to the values, beliefs, hopes and goals of our constitution and the majority of American citizens.  We must be ever more vigilant in the years ahead to protecting our democratic freedoms.  To preserve this nation and our rights we must continue to educate ourselves, then vote -- instill in the generations coming after us the critical importance they do the same.

Questions I ask myself and you probably have some of your own .....

--will those responsible for actions and enabling efforts to cripple or to destroy our democratic republic be held accountable?

--will we prevent such horrendous events in the future?

I believe our nation is poised for a golden opportunity to renew our nation's promise with our core ideals for self-government with liberty and equality for all as we seek happiness.  

NEW YEAR'S OUTLOOK -- MEMORY MIX-UP

             "The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history."

This is a significant week in the continuing procedural steps following our 2020 Presidential election.

Countdown Dates.....

January 5, 2021:     Georgia runoff election for 2 seats determines U.S. Senate control.

January 6, 2021 at 1 pm:    U.S. Electoral College vote finalized, certified in Congressional joint session -- if truth, law and order prevail.

   ?  ?  ?                     Current Lame Duck President exits the White House

January 20, 2021 at noon:   President Biden is inaugurated.

SO-CAL

The first seasonal snow-covered mountains rising above my city attracted many to travel up the 2-lane road in vehicle lines that took drivers three hours to arrive where sledding was active on Mt. Baldy.  Late afternoon was time to return downhill but several hundred people became stranded overnight in their vehicles on the twisting turning mountain road since it was taking so long,  unable to safely descend back to the valley after sunset, partly because thawed snow had turned to black ice.

Meanwhile, in Southern California we are experiencing the beginning of significantly increased numbers of people testing positive for the coronavirus.  This is attributed primarily to viral spreading as a result of the actions of those who chose to ignore taking safety precautions as recommended by health officials during these recent holidays.  Hospital services here in Los Angeles County are on the verge of being impacted, jeopardizing delivery of patient care for all, coupled with possible staff shortages.

Vaccinations are beginning but at a much slower rate than has been expected.  Continued need to minimize further viral spread will persist in the weeks and months ahead.  

COVID-19 RISK ASSESSMENT

For whatever value it might be,  here's a possible tool for COVID-19 risk assessment that was reported to me  as being useful at microcovid.org. that I found interesting.

My research revealed Berkley Advanced Media Institute featuring this and some other visual reference tools that can be used for COVID-19 risk assessment.  The authors state:         

"As coronavirus case numbers continue to rise across the globe, we take a look at how COVID risk is being visualized.  Calculate your potential risk, see how coronavirus is spread indoors, and the impact of wearing masks."

"In this tool we state our best estimate based on available evidence, even when that evidence is not conclusive" as noted in their disclaimer.

I did use the calculator method to assess my risk of Covid -19 infection meeting with one workman outdoors, both of us masked.  Though I reside in high risk Los Angles County, California, USA, my risk assessment in that situation was low as I had thought it would be.  Perhaps results like this determined prior to an indoor or outdoor interaction with an individual(s), groups in various situations could be helpful.  This could be a tool along with other common sense considerations, including also using our best judgment about whether or not to meet with others, go to various businesses, a grocery store, a religious gathering, enter into other situations.

MEMORY MIX-UP

Losing track of time almost put a fly in the ointment of my planning for my Christmas dinner.  This is nothing new, first occurred to me when my children were young after they started school.  Anytime there would be special school days off for various reasons and my children would be home on a weekday the rest of the week often seemed like we had just had a weekend and my recollection of the actual day was thrown off.  Some of my friends said they had that experience, too, which we would laugh about, feeling relieved to know we weren't really losing our minds.

A work schedule always kept the days, holidays, well in perspective, too, but once I retired, regularly scheduled activities were altered.  There could be consecutive days which sometimes seemed quite alike, one after the other.  For whatever the reasons, apparently the week before Christmas I had it in my mind that holiday was on a Wednesday which was quite a different form of mix-up.  Having completed my Christmas gift ordering and shipping arrangements, my final preparation was to order delivery of the dinner I had decided to treat myself to having.  The order completed, I felt quite pleased with myself, ready for Christmas almost a week ahead of time.  

A few days later, I don't recall what occurred, it suddenly dawned on me that Christmas wasn't until Friday as I finally double-checked the calendar which I should have done sooner.  I was able to reschedule my dinner delivery date for Thursday afternoon instead of Tuesday to save the day.  The moral of this story is that I better reference a calendar more and not depend so much on my memory as I try to do to keep it honed and sharp.  I wonder if others get their days mixed up sometimes depending solely on their memories?