Almost the end of a long Friday and here are my Reasons 2B Cheerful for this week. I'm joining the other cheerful bloggers on the linky over at Mummy from the Heart, as usual.
 |
| DD in one of her art classes. Still in shorts and t-shirt you'll notice. |
1
Sleep
We are constantly hearing about how most of us are sleep deprived. And most of us are feeling it too.
I read an article about how not enough sleep 'turns off' certain cancer fighting hormones (or somethings) in the body. The researcher who wrote the paper said he gets panicky of he doesn't have his 8 hours a night sleep. He said that 8 hours a night is as essential for good health as a healthy diet and avoiding known toxins like asbestos.
Well I'm easily persuaded and as it doesn't involve going to the gym or breaking a sweat, I tried it. For a month now I've been resisting the lure of the computer screen and making sure I'm in bed by 10 (10.30 at the latest) every night. I don't know if I'm fighting potential cancer cells successfully, but the knock-on effects are amazing. I'm not tired in the mornings. It's not a struggle to get out of bed. I'm happier to go to work, I function better at work, and I don't eat as much as I did in the longer evenings.
None of this is rocket science of course but it's a revelation to me. It took me a good few days to make myself go to bed so early (for me) when I wasn't even tired, but once it became a habit, I'm loving it.
2
The Festive Season
It's begun. And I allow it to begin now. I watched a vlog recently where they were already decorating their Christmas tree in the first week of November. One of the comments said that their family had given many sons to the First and Second World Wars and they had suffered more than their share of losses. In respect for their family members who fell and for all the fallen soldiers, they do not start decorating for Christmas until after 11/11. I like this idea. I like it because it shows respect and because it stops Christmas blurring borders with the summer holidays.
Personally I would like to ban Christmas until December 1st. Let's give full attention to Hallowe'en, Guy Fawkes, and Thanksgiving without them being overshadowed by creeping Christmas. But on Sunday it's the 1st of Kislev, which is the Hebrew month in which Hanuka falls. So even by my own rules, the Festive Season must be allowed to begin.
We have already been invited to a Thanksgiving Dinner next Thursday. I suggested that the traditional gift to bring would be some blankets infested with smallpox. This didn't go down well. So we shall arrive with wine and redeem ourselves by getting into the spirit of it all. (Although I've already been warned that there is a lot of dessert in the main course.)
3
The Weather
It's holding out. Middle of November and I'm still in sandals. It was 25 degrees C, today in Jerusalem. Warm and balmy. Just right. Of course, 10 years ago we would have been panicking that we've had hardly any rain this season, but now that we have desalination plants no one seems to worry about the water situation anymore. We should though because the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are in danger of drying up completely and where is beauty if not in natural bodies of water? But for now it's nice to be warm and not have to turn the heating on. I have a personal challenge to not use the heating until December 1st. (Not even on Kislev 1st!).
Your comment about the smallpox blanket made me laugh so that’s my R2BC today ��
ReplyDeleteGlad to oblige. I also thought it was funny but my hostess for Thursday wasn't amused.
Delete25 degrees, we should be so lucky! It's been super cold here today and I love getting all the Christmas prep done in November so I can really relax and enjoy Advent and focus on time with God. Have a fun week, Mich x
ReplyDeleteAh, but when do you start in November? Oh, ok then, I suppose November is better than October, or September, or even August as was reported in some shops.
DeleteIt has been an extra cold November but tomorrow the temperature is going to be back up to 9C but with lots of rain. It has been a strange autumn.
ReplyDeleteThey seem to start the Christmas season earlier and earlier each year - it is ridiculous. It used to be that no decorations went here up before Remembrance Day out of respect - and then the Santa Claus parade (which is this Sunday) was the signal to begin! It's a huge parade (going on for over 100 years) and this year they are expecting nearly 1M to line the route. I'll check in after church - I know the route and will pop out of the subway at a couple of spots along the way - it's lots of fun to see all the floats & especially the look on everyone's face.
Since it is supposed to be quite mild many people will take advantage of it to put up their outside lights - no one wants to be the only house not ready and everyone out there in the wind and snow trying to catch up with the neighbours!
I usually wait until the end of November to put up my decorations - since I live in an apt. I have an artificial tree so it's easier to start early. I am going to a Christmas House Tour on December 2nd followed by a concert at my Church that evening - a performance & reading of The Christmas Carol. Then the next day I'm having friends over for brunch so want to have the house ready by then. I've already done a bit of shopping and I want to get my cards started this weekend. The lights at City Hall will be turned on next weekend and downtown will be quite spectacularly lit up - so time to do a walk around one evening.
Canadians have Thanksgiving in October so from now on it's just Christmas to concentrate on.
We also have our "Thanksgiving" which is out harvest festival of Sukkot, in October (or sometimes it falls at the end of September). I think after Remembrance Day is a good compromise. Enjoy the Parade and all your other events next week. xxx
DeleteI grew up with Christmas starting on 24th December, when the tree went up before going to the Midnight Mass, and lasting for 12 days, with the biggest festivities reserved for New Year's Eve smack bang in the middle.
ReplyDeleteNot how Things Are Done here in UK apparently - but the tree still doesn't go up well into December, and it all gets packed away on Twelfth Night, NOT at 2 PM on Christmas Day, like in some people's homes. Gotta draw the line somewhere!
Hahaha at your hostess gift...
I also remember reading or seeing on tv about decorating the tree on Christmas Eve. Twelfth Night is also what I remember. Really, people pack it away on Christmas Day?!
DeleteYup, that was my reaction too the first time I saw it. Mind you, if I'd had mine up since November, I might well be thoroughly fed up of it by Christmas Day too. I would wait until Boxing Day at least I think....
Delete25 degrees is too hot for me now - give me 15 with sunshine and showers and I'm happy! Great not to have to put the heating on though.
ReplyDeleteThere's rubbish cover versions of the same old Christmas songs playing in the shopping centres here in Dublin since Halloween and it really grates. I'm happy to get presents and cards organised towards the end of November and then enjoy DEcember as the Christmas month and that's enough for me.
On the sleep issue, I think there needs to be lot more discussion about it - the economy and family life does not allow most people to get 8 hours sleep, so these reports are quite scary for those of us who have no hope of getting that kind of sleep regularly. Worse, I've always slept just a few hours because of FOMO, well before that acronym was invented! I was that student at the disco at 2, at the curry house at 3, and up at my desk studying by 8... I suppose I'm completely doomed xx
Sadly, I think you can choose 8 hours but either your economy ot your family life has to be compromised, as you say. (Obviously if you are a carer for someone who needs you during the night you don't have the same choices.)
DeleteIt's a funny thing but 25 degrees in the winter isn't the same as 25 degrees in the summer. Don't ask me why but it just isn't.
I never put up decorations until the first weekend in December! Your temperature is about my max for comfort - that's why I live in the Lakes... Your climate really is the opposite of our mild wet one...
ReplyDeleteIt got cold today - 13 degrees and raining. I went from sandals yesterday into furry boots today.
Delete