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It’s been a bit, Joyful Musers; 2025 has had an interesting start on my end, a start not predicted nor expected, a beginning that has me valuing and appreciating the minute, the small, the kindness of strangers, the sun, the snow, life itself.
So, dear Joyful Musers, you’ve made it to another end, another grand finale of a year, a Christmas Day’s departure, a final moment of life.
Most families I know have one nativity set. One. They set it up this time of year with the requisite camels, lambs, Mary, Joseph and three Wise Men. It’s simple. It’s done. No great shakes, no need for a Jesus Hotel.
The Candy Platter will have color, individual wrapping and enough sugar to create cavities in 10,000 molars.
As a Spanish Teacher, I muse joyfully on Día de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead. This is the Mexican holiday where families delight in and welcome back the souls of their relatives who have passed on, died, expired, kicked the bucket.
Today I muse joyfully on Green Day’s song, “Wake Me Up when September Ends.” It’s a beautiful song of mourning, of loss, of sadness, of fatique.
I collect shells for a purpose, I’ve been relearning the art of decoupage and creating some lovely images.
Today I muse joyfully on looking ahead to my final school year, my final going back in September, my final creation of roll books and seating charts.
There are very few things in life that never disappoint: McDonald’s French fries, a baby’s giggle, cornflower blue, and the Naturalization Ceremony held every July 4th at Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth.