I keep hearing about holiday stress, and people burdened with to-do lists a mile long...

I don't feel that way at all this year.

True, I have much to do, but I'm really feeling relaxed and happy about it.

Even in my grad. school work, which is heavy right now as we head into the last two weeks of classes, I'm remembering to take time to breathe, relax, let some inspiration hit me.

I have been playing the piano quite a lot. It's not on my to-do list. I play Mozart, or Suzanne Ciani (new-age'y piano composer who lives near my sister in Marin County, she's very talented and her music just speaks to me), or Bach, for maybe a half hour, and then I'm refreshed.

I am working on a song which I began to write in Vancouver. I played some of it for A.J., who really really liked it. That was thrilling for me. "How often do you do that?" he asked me. I said, "Not nearly often enough." He agreed. More time for composing. That's a good plan!

Polly and I took time to play in the snow this morning, even though it's only 2 degrees above zero. She likes to eat the snow, like a baleen whale, she runs in a field of new snow with her mouth open, skimming the top of the snow as she runs, getting just the top layer into her mouth, until she's had enough.

Her other snow game is Snow Angels, which involves throwing herself onto the ground (hard!) and rolling all around until she's made a deep impression in the snow. What we call "Snow Angels" as kids...that's Polly...Snow Dog Angel?

My wonderful friend Pam and I did snow angels together once, didn't we, Pam?

I love that!

Hope you are all finding some relaxation in your December.