The Broad Running Broad

You know the joke about how the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is the one time of year we can turn into the least impressive versions of ourselves?

What do you call it when that’s the entire month of December?

Or rather, what do you call it when December rolls around and with it comes the energy swings of a toddler downing a liter of Mountain Dew, just to have the magnificent and frightening crash in a half hour?

I finally realized today I am that Mountain Dew-addled toddler.

Don’t get me wrong, I love December and the holidays. The world becomes lighter and brighter. There’s a Christmas tree in every town square and business window. My neighborhood puts up their lights and wreaths, which reminds me that I need to bundle up and go on a walk tonight towards my favorite neighbor’s house.

December is also my birthday month, with my inner Sagittarius in full swing with the many mini celebrations I like to do until December 21st (because that’s when Sagittarius season ends.)

I believe in astrology and believe in birthday months. Feel free to yuck my yum if my thing isn’t yours – but know right up front that I’m not going to stop my good time just because someone who isn’t paying my bills Has Thoughts on my maturity level.

I’m really digressing tonight.

Meanwhile, like the soda-infused toddler, my energy crashes like crazy during the month of December.

It’s been getting dark by 5:30, which I can tolerate. Right around Thanksgiving the temperature dropped. I can do one or the other, but both of them at the same time is a step too far.

Then there’s the eating. I’ve discovered I eat more when I’m cold, since warming up is a struggle no matter what my apartment thermostat is set at. There’s also the increased errands, which means more grabbing fast food instead of cooking at home, and the heavier meals that come with holidays and my birthday. Back in November I started cutting some weight and noticed an ab coming back. It’s anyone’s guess if I’ll finish this month with my one ab still visible.

Experience says I won’t. In the event I’m wrong, I’ll blog about it.

And the worst part of all? When I have my energy up I can do anything. But as soon as it dips, the only thing I can do is hibernate. I am drained and done, and please do not wake me unless it’s a family emergency or one of the Thunder from Down Under guys is waiting on my patio with a kitten.

But here we are, in yet another December. A time of celebration and liveliness, fracas and glitter, and hopefully a slice of Black Forest cake later on this month. There’s also the quiet reflection of my grandfather who’s no longer here. The grief and heartache has long passed, and I’ve been at peace with the fact his soul is resting for a while now.

But at the same time, I still remember how heartbreaking the holidays were in 2021. I don’t know if I’ll ever truly get over that part, and I know at some point during the month of December I’ll think about Grandpa and the “would’ve, should’ve” our family went through.

So Reader-Friends, like the small child with too much caffeine in their system, I’m going to take it all in – the magnificent and the exhausting parts. And like I do every other month, I’m going to take time to enjoy myself and try not to lose any more of my marbles.

Or at very least, try to get some of the glitter from my clip-in poinsettias out of Marina’s fur. She loves to sleep under the tree and is living her best life. Meanwhile, Marina’s mom has to figure out the best way to remove glitter from her undercarriage and from in between her toe pads.

I might need a swig of Mountain Dew before that task.

Yours in reading and life,

Allison