It was a lovely weekend here. 
The right mix of festive and mellow.
Some of the mellowness was forced, I'll admit,
by a twisted ankle which meant no long runs or errand sessions.
I'll take it how I can get it…

Gratitude 16 — Saturday

I know it's the thick of the holiday season, a time for fancy food and drink and clothing, but today I am grateful for grocery-store sushi and Netflix. Because there is something about being really happy and comfortable in your own skin and your own house on a Saturday night.

Gratitude 17 — Sunday

I began Sunday with a group of women on a hill overlooking the lake, singing in the solstice. (The solstice isn't 'til midweek this week, but Sunday is when we could make it work…) We sang rounds. We sang African and Cherokee tunes. We sang with a dog twisting around our legs. We sang without song books, and a happiness at how many lyrics we remembered anyway.

And then I ended Sunday at a mostly-spoken-word performance called "What's Wrong with the Holidays." It was irreverent and hilarious and moving and really kinda brilliant.  

In between, we hosted our annual gingerbread house party with a dozen kids and a lot of candy — equal parts architectural genius and sugar-driven silliness.

So I'm grateful for how many varied ways there are to mark this season, and I'm grateful for the community I live within, making it all not just appropriate but right…