Yuletide thoughts so soon?

I have heard more than one person say that this year has flown. I cannot believe it's November all ready, and I bet you can't either. Didn't we just send the kids back to school and start to ease into the fall schedule of practices, recitals, and busy, busy moms and kids?

I know I about fainted when I saw holiday decorations as early as September. Sheesh! Talk about put away the back to school displays and bring out the jingle bells. And secretly, my favorite holiday is Halloween, or Samhain in the pagan faith. I like the solemn night when the veil is the thinnest to take time to remember those who passed on. This year was particularly poignant for me because I'd had a senior kitty put to sleep just a couple of weeks prior, and I have to admit, I'm not taking his loss well, even though we had two more years than we'd expected with him. But I digress...

So today for the first time this fall/winter season, we had something not-rain falling from the skies. I know, I know, the northeast had their big storm; I saw it on the Weather Channel. And like them, I thought "isn't this early"?

But, you got to admit, when the white stuff (or the "s" word as it's known around here) starts falling from the sky, it puts you in a certain mood. November is the month when the Halloween decorations come down and it's still kind of early to break out the tree. (In my case, the fiber optic fake one, because the kitty mentioned above, dashed all my hopes for a big tree in my own home fourteen years ago when he thought it was a riot to swing from the 6' tall fake fir and bat my perfect little apple ornaments all around the apartment.) I'm kind of getting in the mood for the holidays though. We might not have big presents, but I am all about the joy, and the happiness, and the giving. My guy already knows I'm redoing his website for his gift, and he's mighty thankful. My mom, well, I told her she was still with us, and doing well, getting clean bills of health from her doctors -- what more could I ask for? (Okay, some tickets to the rodeo that's going to be in town on my birthday would be nice.... LOL!)

But yeah, I'll admit my little secret. I'm having yuletide thoughts. And you know, that's okay. Just don't forget to pass the turkey in a few weeks, and I prefer pumpkin pie, thank you.

(If you, too, are in a yuletide mood, then check out my holiday book, This Divine Night.)