Small town life sounds good to me. As does living in the country. We had a few acres when I had horses and other animals back in the 60s and 70's. Phoenix is soooo big, too much traffic, and I hate driving even if it didn't cause my leg to go on the warpath. I was born in a small town, in Ala. I don't really going places alone either, and won't go out at night except to family gatherings at one of my kids. I'm waiting the arrival of my toile plates I just bought. Tho heaven knows what I can find to do with them, but will try just because of all the support I've gotten here. Any table settings I do will be just for ONE, maybe two if you're lucky. LOL. I'm going to be a one-trick pony, sorry about that. I just can't do full tables for many reasons. I've been 'planning' my Christmas decor. Really planning this year. Thought it might take some of the load off me being so over-whelmed with it when I go to unpacking a zillion things in the middle of the floor while telling two cats NOT to help me. A zillion times! One sleepless night I started plotting different places to put things this year. I want my newly begun collection of Nutcrackers (started last year) pretty much together. But I think the purple one should go with the Santa. And I have two golf Santas and two golf Nutcrackers that should stay together. Last year they were with my two other special Nutcrackers, a policeman and a fireman. These have a lot of meaning! I'm going to put my Village in the antique china cabinet in my entry hall this time I think, instead of Painted Pony Cabinet in familyroom. Tho I still have to move over a 100 statues from BOTH. I was thinking of putting Xmas horses and reindeer in the pony cabinet. I have quite a few of both now. Anyway, its fun to mentally decorate. It also doesn't wear me out or hurt my body. LOL. I think I'll start my Village next week in fact. First I have to make room for all those dog statues to safely go on closet shelves for the next two months! Ugh. hugs, Karen

Thought I'd bring this one up to update...looks like I will be alone for T-Giving after all...mom's come down with a bad cold and feels rotten,doesn't want the family to catch it...Niece cancelled out because of unexpected company and my brother's not coming back because I am on call on friday for work and he wouldn't have anything to do since he can't be at moms. Gloom?...Despair?...nope, but on the sad side,I do think I sprained my wrist doing a few backflips. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE!! I hope you enjoy one of the few holidays that isn't overly commercialized.

I am alone and very lucky in the sense that I don't care. I don't enjoy the family I have here, the friends are nice, but had rather be alone. The only thing I hate about is that everyone feels sorry for me when they find out I will be alone. I don't usually mention it.

Cynic great post! Especially the part about the set up photos with the silly backdrops or props. (I feel the same way about baby pics BTW). Give me people who look like themselves any day. I don't send Christmas cards any longer so we only get a few. The photo cards are printed on such cheap stock that they tear while being removed from the envelope. I do save and enjoy the nice old fashioned cards I get. The rest hit the shredder. Worst Xmas card award goes to a relative of DH. He prints out a mass sermon. Just like those long winded mass Xmas letters that some people send out only it's s a sermon. At the end there is a line or 2 about what he is doing and how the sermon he wrote applies to him. LOL If he were a man of the cloth I "might" understand but basically he's what I would call a fanatic. If I want to hear a sermon I'll go to church thank you. We LOL, shake our heads and SHRED!