Here's to hearing angels on high all year long
Single women have pretty much the same array of choices for spending Christmas day as non-singles. Some will spend it with family, some with friends, some alone (e.g., the non-single woman who is estranged or separated from her mate—or wishes she was). Some will get Chinese food and see a movie, some will rest and read, some will clean or perform other chores. Some will volunteer at soup kitchens. Some will exercise their creativity—cook, write, paint, play music.
Some, like me, will hang out with their grandchildren and see Christmas again through the eyes of the child. Some of us have spent hours planning, shopping, and wrapping. Some have foregone this practice and decided just to share themselves in some way.
Some of us, like me, who are moving, may be practicing the art of letting go—there’s a joy in releasing stuff to do good elsewhere in the universe. I’m pleased that I can give some of my treasured things to my family members this year. This Christmas I decided to do a little of each: “shopping” from my own possessions, wrapping, and writing about my move within Chicago.
Whatever you’re doing this year, try spending a few minutes every hour just stopping and feeling your feelings. Regard them with respect and tenderness. Send love and appreciation to yourself for all that you do, for all that you share with others, and for all you contribute to the world around you. And while you’re doing that, be sure to express your love to people and send appreciation out to all those who touch your life.
Merry, merry Christmas to all the wonderful single women in the world. Extra good wishes to all the single mothers who work so hard to make Christmas special for their kids.
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Cappuccino Camping:
How I spent my summer camping
As a single working woman in a male dominated field, I had the opportunity to be transferred to Montana, as a start up to a utility company. Now the buzzword “infrastructure” and “Drill baby Drill “are a part of our vocabulary, and I think very sexy… After getting over the question, is you husband here working. Never thought that would make me happy to hear. No, I was an independent working single woman. I had no insecurity’s as I had left them to take the adventure of a lifetime… Being a single Mother for the last twenty some years, raising two independent and resilient children, it was time for me to step into my new role as the matriarch to the family and a role model for my daughter and son. I did not want them to limit their life, and settle for anything or anyone.
Montana is one of the most beautiful states. The people are wonderful. I have lived in the Midwest and the east coast, and have never Gone North West. I was not prepared for the lack of conveniences. After one weekend of driving to Missoula, and seeing the beauty of the mountains and the glaciers and the lakes and streams, I was over whelmed, I knew I had to jump in and feel and drink in all I could.. Thus the camping, as you do not find a Hilton in the Mountains, with a nice lobby and a hot bath… However, what you do find is wonderful people and some of the best cappuccino in the world.
Buying camping equipment is a new concept for me, but I did it. One tent, one blow up mattress, one hand pump, one lantern, one wine opener, one coffee pot, and one folding chair. Now I was ready to camp. I did buy a silver tray and candles. My first camping experience was at Swain Lake, the village of Swan Lake is nestled along scenic Highway 83. On a note if you are able to travel Highway 83 do it and stop in at: Swan Lake Trading Post and Campground ( http://www.swanlaketradingandcampground.com
Email: swanlaketradingpost@montanasky.net ).
My camping experience was unbelievable; sleeping next to the stream it was one of the most relaxing nights I had spent in a long time. The smell of the evergreens is unlike anything and brought back memories of summer camp when I was a child. I was hooked on Camping, in Montana. Not to mention the owners of the Trading Post are some of the best people, and they make a great cup of coffee. When I was getting ready to leave and having my last cup of coffee the campers asked me if I saw the bear… what bear? Yes Bears live in the Montana, But they said it was a small bear… good it was not a big one… Bears come in all sizes and Small in Montana is Big …. What did I know?
That was the start of my Camping in Montana and Wyoming for the summer, every weekend it was a new adventure. From the Canadian border down to Yellowstone and Cody Wyoming.
My last Camping experience was at Lolo hot Springs, Montana it is located in the Bitterroot region of Montana next to the Idaho border. On Rt. 12, this would be my last weekend camping. September is the start of the cold in the North West. My one request was not to spend the winter in Montana, call me a girl ok, but I was not having any of that. This weekend adventure consisted of wondering in the mountains, and soaking in the hot springs. While I was in the mountains, a wolf was running towards me on the road, she was magnificent there was a y in the road and she took the higher path, as I was walking down the Mountain. That night having a cup of coffee, a couple of women asked me if I camped by myself. Happy to say, I have been doing it all summer, Then the question do you have something to protect yourself, I said no: I have not ran into anyone I would be concerned about, No not the people the animals, such as the Mountain Lions. What did I know? Let me tell you they are big… so, Cold and wet the weekend was a test of resilience for me. Could I close out my adventure in the true sense of an Adventure? I did it, after cleaning off the frost and packing away my camping gear, I realized I had done it camped all summer alone in the Mountains of Montana and Wyoming. On my drive down Rt. 12, it was cold and raining, thinking what would be the peak experience of my summer? Moreover, what was I to learn from my adventures… Then I saw it… One loan female moose, she was standing there so strong and resilient drinking from the stream. I stopped my car and backed up, she was not afraid of me, I should have been afraid of her, but what did I know. Sitting there looking at her getting ready for the winter and her true test of life or death, Could I be as strong as her, and be able to face life at a level of pure strength such as hers, That is the question I keep asking myself..
I left Montana mid September; I drove home to Ohio without a map, just friends on the phone and the internet, Make sure you get to see Mt. Rushmore, what a sight. I was happy to see Wisconsin. Green trees and blue lakes, green everywhere. Chicago was a challenge, driving through Chicago is fun enough without a packed car, so I did not stop to see my son Brian, he lives and works in Chicago. I kept going thinking Michigan would be my stop. Ann Arbor Michigan, my Daughter Gigi lives there. Therefore, after a weekend with her, I was back to work Monday in Ohio. Just like that.
After the summer in Montana, I needed a vacation, what would a single woman do? I got a pedicure and a manicure, spent the weekend in Chicago, went to the Chicago international film festival, then the beach had been calling me, packed up the Mother and the Daughter and went to Fort Lauderdale meet up with the Son there. , Attended the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Then Spent the weekend at the beach with the family, we were going to do the everglades adventure, but I think I know better now. I needed a break from wild animals done with that for a while, and as a mother, I would have to protect my children from alligators. Even if they are twenty something, never stop thinking about the mother moose and the pureness of her strength. Survived the Holidays, and starting a new year and a new adventure…