Yule 2009

I just completed my traditional blueberry muffin making aspect for our day. The house is still, as I am the only one awake. I woke up and did my practice as usual, and then made the muffins. I've fed the new kitty, Jack, who was sitting on my arms while I sang mantras to him.

In some regards, this is just another day. I long ago gave up any pretentions of observing anything Christian about it. After all, it wasn't originally a Christian holiday. They hijacked it centuries ago, just like they did Easter. And like any other day, today we will need to build a fire, take out trash, make food, and clean dishes. And show love to one another.

Just like any other day. Love and compassion shouldn't be seasonal. One of the things I like about Buddhism, is that developing compassion and love are a primary practice. In fact, in my own practice, before I move onto some of the deeper stuff that involves levels of consciousness and all that esoteric stuff I pursued for years, I will spend the next 11 months meditating on love and compassion. My practice involves looking at those areas where I don't. And then applying the remedy.  I'm working with myself, and what is inherently in me. Not for the season, but to become a lifelong primary motivation for all I do.

On this day I wish the same for you. That will make for some seriously Happy Holidays in years to come.

A New Kitty!

I suppose that could sound like a mid life crisis! But it isn't. It is the fruit of Jody saving a kitty from the yard cat at work. This kitty wandered in from who knows where, and he's here to stay with us. He's the little one there.

His name is Jack. He spent a few weeks at the nursery, getting up to snuff with shots and being fed and human contact. We were concerned that Taylor's cat Panda, might not take to Jack, who at the time was named Lil C. So we first put C in Taylor's room to acclimate to the smells and so on. Then after a few days we sat in the romm and let him run around. He finally got around to climbing on us, and then he was playing with panda under the door, and despite the initail hissings of feeling dispalced, Panda realized she had a playmate.

Gee, thanks folks.

Panda seems to put up with it, and we all know that eventually Jack will grow up and not play as much. Panda has the weight, but Jack has relentless energy. He cuddles, likes to climb on a face at 0300 hours, and drop his wet cold nose on the face. It's too cute to get annoyed at. Well, for the most part anyway. Jack has been climbing in the Christmas tree, skootches all over the place, and will cuddle on his terms and time. Future posts with weird spacings and spellings are indicationsd Jack has made it to the keyboard.

He is quite cute, and we are glad to have him.