Tag Archives: Holidays

Missing My Mom + Holiday Emotions

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It has been two weeks and one day since my mom died. It has been challenging dealing with all that goes with losing a parent especially this time of year as it is the holiday season. Dealing with my mom’s death is adding to the holiday anxiety I struggle with every year which sucks shit and is something I discussed with my therapist today.

In fact my therapist and I discussed a great deal about my emotions especially anxiety and anger as I struggle with both. I struggle with both anxiety and anger as I tend to stuff both of those emotions that end up leading me emotionally and verbally exploding or sadly self harming. I thankfully haven’t self harmed in over a year which is a good thing but sadly I have emotionally and verbally exploded which is not a good thing. We discussed various ways to let out my anxiety and anger especially my anger. In fact my therapist suggested a couple of things to deal with my anger that are a little silly but I think will be helpful. I am really appreciative of my therapist and I am so grateful for her as well as her help with my mental health recovery.

As much as I am appreciative of and grateful for my therapist, I am also extremely grateful for today’s weather here in Seattle as it was sunny. Granted it was chilly outside but I am so grateful for the sun and that it was not freezing or below freezing outside.

Not only am I grateful for today’s weather here in Seattle, I am also beyond grateful for my precious senior kitty, Billie. I love my cat so very much and I don’t know what my life would be like without my cat. The best part of having a cat or any pet is their unconditional love.

I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you the reader for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Holiday Traditions

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I would like to inform you of my own personal holiday traditions as it was suggested to me to start my own early on in my mental health recovery. The reason why it was suggested to me is because of some of the unrealistic holiday traditions that were placed on me by my family. No disrespect to my family as I love them very much but creating my own holiday traditions have helped me cope with my family as well helped me cope with my PTSD and depression.

When it was suggested to me by my therapist at the time early on in my mental health recovery the only thing I could think of regarding traditions for myself was comic books. Specifically two comic books that focused on Christmas. In fact the comic books I am speaking of are Christmas with the Superhero’s volume one and two by DC comics.

Over the years I have added to my holiday traditions. I have included the typical traditions of watching movies and listening to music. I have also included with the help of friends of the Jewish faith of spending a night or two or three celebrating Hanukkah with my friends who celebrate it. I am grateful that I can help celebrate Hanukkah with my friends who celebrate it. Besides watching holiday movies, listening to holiday music and spending two or three nights celebrating Hanukkah, I have included the following traditions to my list: reading holiday focused books, doing holiday or wintery focused jigsaw puzzles, doing holiday focused logic puzzles, doing Christmas dot to dot, and doing artwork focused on holidays or wintery scenes which includes coloring and diamond art/painting.

Now that I informed you of what I do for my own holiday traditions, it is challenging to know how my family traditions will change this year and next year due to my mom passing away two days before Thanksgiving. I say this year and next year as this year it is so fresh. I know I will keep some of the Christmas traditions my mom instilled upon me. As far as my dad’s side of the family they will still celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve as one of my uncle’s birthday is on Christmas and celebrate his birthday on Christmas.

I do not have anything else to write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out and Happy Holidays, World!!!

My Second Finished Diamond Art/Painting

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! Like I mentioned in a post that I posted last night that I would post a picture of my second finished diamond art/painting. In fact the diamond art/painting is one that I started the day after my mom died which was the day before Thanksgiving. Part of the reason I started this particular diamond art/painting when I did was due to the fact that I finished the first one the day my mom sadly died. The other part of the reason I started this particular diamond art/painting is because it is the holidays and it is a holiday diamond art/painting and something I wanted to add to my holiday traditions. In fact I finished this particular diamond art/painting in a week which was a lot less time than the first one. Of course this one wasn’t as intensive as the last one. So, here is the picture of my second finished diamond art/painting:

This is my second finished diamond art/painting. It is of a cat that is dressed in holiday and Christmas decor.

I really hope you like my Christmas cat diamond art/painting. I added captions to the picture for my readers that are sight impaired or blind. I really do enjoy doing diamond art/painting. I plan to continue to do diamond art/painting for a long time.

I do not have anything else to write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

A Sad Life Update

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! Last Tuesday (November 26, 2024) my mom died. She died from lung cancer two days before Thanksgiving. It is never easy to lose anyone especially during the holidays. I miss my mom and dealing with funeral arrangements is not easy but at least have family helping me out with all that especially my two uncles on my moms side.

To make the grief that much hard Thursday, November 28, 2024 marked exactly five years since my last cat, Lil Brooke crossed over the rainbow bridge which happened to be Thanksgiving this year. In fact Lil Brooke crossed over the rainbow bridge on Thursday, 28, 2019 which also happened to be Thanksgiving that year. Here in the United States lands on the fourth Thursday of November which means it is never the same date.

Anyway, this past Thanksgiving was not the easiest for me to deal with. At least I had friends to spend it with. I also spent it with my current cat, Billie. I am grateful that I have family and good friends checking in on me even though I have no family that lives close by. I am also beyond grateful for my cat, Billie.

I don’t have much more to write about in the particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

The Holiday Traditions I am Creating for Myself

Posted on by Gertie

Happy in the middling of the night from Seattle for those of use who are unable to sleep especially when a cat decides to sit on your lap and will not move for the life of him. I do love my Billie boy though. I am so in love with my cat Billie.

For many people in American culture, spending time with family and/or friends indulging with food and spending too much on unnecessary family drama. Yes, I am guilty of continuously playing this role but my family isn’t getting any yound and despite how dysfunctional they are, I still love them.

On that note I had a therapist that suggested I start my own traditions which I did with some push back. I started by reading A Superhereo Christmas comic books volume one and two and doing wintry and/holiday jigsaw puzzles. I then tart reading holiday books which helps with my tradition. Now I am doing Christmas Dot to Dot ro adults and NO they are NOT X Rated. I am also starting a new tradition this year by doing a Christmas logic problem. Oh lets not forget the artwork of coloring. I love the coloring part of the holidays.

A Life Update

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! It has been quite a while since I updated you on my life which hasn’t been going to well which is mainly due to my job. I am on thin ice at work and I know I haven’t been meeting expectations of my job and take full responsibility for what I have not met those expectations. I also know that I have not been given the disability accommodations I much needed for work that have been known since my first day on the job with human resources full support up until returning from my first medical leave due to a traumatic event. I am such thin ice that I can be fired which is why I put in my resignation. I am resigning at a later date than I was planning on doing primarily due making sure I have money to pay my rent for the month of January as I am on another medical leave and want to make sure I have the money to pay rent and other bills. Yes, not resigning later than I had planned, I need to make sure I finish much needed things at work as well being able to say goodbye to clients and colleagues. My planned last day on my job will be my one year anniversary date of starting this job. I just hope I don’t get fired by my planned last day on the job.

Since I am resigning from my job I am hoping that Social Security will not stop my partial disability payments. I also hope I can get my full disability benefits back once I am no longer working. I am really worried about money. I am hoping I can get some form of employment so I don’t have worry about money.

Part of the reason I am so worried about money is credit card debt. But the main reason why I am worried is because my cat is still at the very beginning stages of kidney disease for the last couple of years and has vet visits every six months to keep any eye on his health. My cat Billie means the world to me and I love him so very much.

Now that it is the holiday season, I have a way to not be split between both sides of my family as I have to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas day which means I can wait till after my last day at my employer to have a celebration with my dads side one day and my moms side another day. Plus, I can also continue with my own Holiday traditions as well as start new ones. The ones I already have for myself is to do a winter type and/or a Christmas jigsaw puzzle, read both volumes of A Superheros Christmas, read a fiction Christmas book and color a Christmas picture poster or two. My two new holiday traditions this holiday season are to do Christmas logic problems which they do have books to do which sorta surprised me and a Christmas adult dot to dot. No, the dot to dot is NOT by any means X rated. The dot to dot is more advanced than the dot to dots we did as kids.

Well, I do not have much more to write about in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be continuing to write my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!

The Holidays are Upon Us

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate Hanukkah. To those who may not be aware, this evening (December 18th) starts the first night of Hanukkah. No, I am not Jewish but I do celebrate it with friends who ask me to. This year I am spending four nights celebrating with friends who have asked me to help with their tradition. The evening of today, December 18th starts Hanukkah and ends the evening of Monday, December 26th.

The Yule are celebrated by Pagans with very many types of traditions. I am not Pagan but this is the holiday I personally prefer to celebrate in my own way. This year Yule starts December 21st and ends January 1st.

The next holiday to be celebrated is Christmas Day which is December 25th. Some in the Christian faith also celebrate it the evening of December 24th. Yes, this is the Christian holiday.

The cool thing I am finding is all three religions will be celebrating the same day which is December 25th. Don’t you all think it is pretty awesome. I know I do. This has me curious so the next time this happens will be in 2024. In the year 2024 I plan to celebrate all three holidays with friends, family and myself.

As far as New Year’s I celebrate that as my own holiday. I spend it with my cat Billie, watching movies and sleeping all day.

I do not have much more to say except I hope there is no snow in Seattle I will tell you more in a later post. Peace Out, World and go celebrate your faith.

The Time of Year to Read a Christmas Book

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is that time of year that my family traditions begin with sending Christmas and Holiday books that they read the following year to another family member. This year I received the book called “The Paper Bag Christmas” by Kevin Alan Lilne. My great auntie sent it to me. After I am done reading it, I will send it to a second cousin and write a book review here on my blog.

On another note as part of our Christmas Tradition when purchase another Christmas or holiday book and read that book and of course send it to another family member. So on average we read two to three Christmas or holiday books each holiday season. The book I purchased to read after the one my great aunt sent me is called “Sleigh Bells Ring” by RaeAnne Thayne. I’m not sure how I am going to send that book to but I’m thinking about my uncle or a cousin.

I do not have much more to discuss in this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciative that you the reader read my blog.If it wasn’t for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It has been quite the week. I worked this past Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. My job is only three days a week which are four hour shifts. In fact I worked this past Thursday which was Thanksgiving here in the United States. I was and am glad that I was able to work Thanksgiving. All three of my work shifts went great. I enjoy my job but I wish I worked more than twelve hours a week. My boss and colleagues are amazing.

Now back to the topic of Thanksgiving. I not only worked but spent time with my dads side of the family. I had an awesome dinner that my uncle made. I had dinner with my dad, grandpa and two uncles. I love my family so much. I also called my mom to wish her a Happy Thanksgiving. I also called my two uncles as well as my two aunts on my mom’s side to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving. To be honest, I called my mom three times as she is dealing with stage three cancer and since my brother is in jail I wanted to make sure she know that I love her. My mom did spend Thanksgiving with my two uncles (her brothers) and one of their girl friends. So, I am grateful she was not only on Thanksgiving.

As far as yesterday goes, I worked and came home and started doing my holiday traditions. I first turned on holiday music and then started two different holiday jigsaw puzzles. I am still trying to figure out what holiday book I am going to read this year. I have three holiday books in mind. Who know’s I might read all three. I am also going to be coloring holiday posters. Some I started last year and didn’t finish and some I will start this year. Anyway, I am getting into the holiday spirit and doing it my style.

Well, that is my weekly check-in for the week. Now it is time to cuddle up with my cat Billie and read. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Lazy Type of Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Afternoon, World!!! It has been a lazy day. I started off the day reading the first two chapters of a holiday book when I woke up this morning with my cat Billie on my lap as I was sipping some hot teat. I started getting a little sleeping from reading even though the book appears to be so far so good in the first two chapter.

On that note I really did not want to go back to sleep and take a nap since I had already just woken up from a good night sleep. I decided to buy some stuff off of Amazon. Mostly, I purchased artsy and crafty and stuff with one exception of more tarot cards and a beginners guide to the beginners guide to tarot cards and guides. I have course will spend the rest of the day with my cat, Billie. Not sure if I will continue to read or end up watching movies.

As far as tomorrow goes, I plan on volunteering at PAWS Cat City. Of course when I get home, I will spend time with Billie. After that I will do some much need house hold chores of cleaning my apartment. So, tomorrow is going to be my chore day.

I do not have much more to say for this particular blog post. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!