Sounds of Silence

Rainy slow Saturday; I didn't even get up until 11.  The crockpot is bubbling hamburger stew, I'm reading on my kindle while Prince Eric watches football.  Sigh, are there any better days than this?  Well, in *my* perfect world, there wouldn't be football in the background, but I don't live in the world by myself.  I read an article recently about introverts and recognized myself: oversensitive to and uncomfortable with loud stimuli and large groups.

I grew up in a fairly small family with few extended family members, plus with my dad being military we moved every couple of years and didn't live near relatives for many years.  I always envied the big Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings on TV and wanted to join these big get-together's at Grandma's house with all the cousins and aunts and uncles bearing gifts.  It wasn't until I experienced one of these that I realized how much I enjoyed the solitude of my nuclear family.  Our group of 4 lived in a good sized house and we all had our separate corners to retreat.  Perfect for introverts like me and my mom.  My dad was more social and my brother maybe somewhere in between.

I've always been most happy with a book.  For Christmas this year, I got a sweatshirt and bumper sticker that read:  Some of my best friends are fictional characters.  Yup, totally true.  I have to make a conscious effort to establish real life friendships.  I think I'm fairly friendly and likeable but being social doesn't come naturally for me.  I'm not good at small talk or chit chat.  I'm a "get to the point" person and can sometimes be blunt.  Phone calls are torture for me.  I've heard many times over the years "I thought you were a bitch until I got to know you!"  Umm, thanks?  I can't help it that I've got Resting Bitch Face.  My natural countenance is unsmiling but I'm far from mean.  I really do treasure my friends and social contact with my co-workers.

Prince Eric is a very social creature and loves to have parties and meet new people.  Luckily, he understands that this is painfully awkward for me and I'm glad he's there to bring me out of my shell a little.  So, the next time you see someone at a party who looks like there being tortured, go over and say hi (because they're not going to come over to you).  You might meet a new friend.  Or if not, at least you can complain "jeez, who invited the bitch in the corner?"

The Annual Christmas Letter

I grew up loving to read the many Christmas cards that started coming in early December.  I especially liked the ones that included newsy letters updating us on their life.  This was way before email and facebook; we had to wait a whole year to hear what was happening in our families and friends lives.  As an adult, I started sending out annual Christmas letters too.  For many years I thought of different creative ways to frame our news.  Letters set to Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jingle Bells, a newspaper style letter, the year in pictures, even a letter from our pet's point of view.  My creative streak seems to be over, last year I didn't even send out cards.  This year, I just went back to the straight forward letter.

Season’s Greetings from the Oregon Coast!

Another year down, where does the time go? We’ve been at the coast for over a year now and while I do love having the ocean nearby I miss the ever present sunshine of the high desert areas. It’s a drippy dreary day as I type this letter, though the weather overall is better than I expected and we have more nice days than not. Last Christmas we were enjoying 80 degree temps at Disneyland!

For the second year, Prince Eric and I competed in the Newport Amazing Race and the Depoe Bay Pirate Treasure Hunt – and we came in 1^st place!! We won lots of swag and gift certificates and next year we plan to help out on the other side and be characters for the day as others compete. I’m already planning my mermaid costume . . . . I’m still working at the county health department with medical insurance programs and Prince Eric is still at his Title office. This year, he also added the position of Head Softball Coach at the local High School to his resume and is gearing up for the next season. We recently spent a few days in Las Vegas at a softball convention where he learned new drills he’s chomping at the bit to implement.

Sebastian, 22, is a senior at the University of Oregon (yes, the same university that just produced Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota!) and will graduate with his BS in Environmental Science next year and plans to join the Peace Corps somewhere in South America after graduation.  Melody, 17, is a junior in High School and lettered in both basketball and softball last year. She is also the Junior Class Secretary, it’s nice to see her stretch beyond her comfort zone and try new things. We also have a new teenager in the house, our exchange student from France, "Pepe".  It’s been fun learning about and misunderstanding each other’s cultures, as well as introducing Pepe to the joy of peanut butter. I think we may have to send a crate home with him.

Our extended families are doing well. Prince Eric's mom lives in Lincoln City (about 45 minutes from us) and continues to work out of her home and travel all over the US. My mom continues to enjoy retirement in Newport, staying up late and sleeping in and playing Lumosity on the computer to keep her brain sharp. My brother, Prince Florian, lives in Portland and got married on September 5^th to his girlfriend, Snow White. We threw together a last minute evening sunset wedding overlooking the ocean and Sebastian officiated using his mail order minister certificate.

Flounder, Scuttle and Grimsby and a ton of fleas continue to live together somewhat harmoniously. After peeing on the couch one too many times, Scuttle has become an outdoor cat and discovered his inner tiger. He comes in for food and quickly feels the walls closing in on him before dashing back out.  Grimsby watches with jealousy, he's not allowed outside.  Flounder is almost 10 years old and prances around like a puppy on the beach but growls like a grumpy ol’ man when it’s raining.  

Heck, we can’t complain. We’re blessed to have good jobs, good health, easy going lives and a beautiful place to call home. As a bonus, the Seattle Seahawks (city of my birth) won the Super Bowl on my 41st birthday!  I hope life finds you well, also.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!