Tuesday 4 - December Traditions

December Arrives...

 Hello and welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 kept in her memory .  We give you 4 things to

think about each week and hope it spurs you to blog, connect with fellow bloggers and just stop and reflect!

December is a month filled with religious significance for so many. Christmas(Dec 24-25) and Chanukah(Nov 28-Dec 6). Christians speak of the light coming into the world at Christmas and

Chanukah is the festival of lights when the light was returned to the  newly cleansed temple in Jerusalem. So they have a common connection: the light of God in the world. 

Let's talk about December and what it has in store for you....

1. How much importance do you place on December holidays?  Do you plan and prepare? Is that part of

"Twas the night before Christmas..."

the fun for you or would you rather dispense with it? - my parents are divorced, and we do not spend the holiday together. This kinda makes me sad, stressed, and just trying to get through Christmas Day. I do enjoy the break from work however :) We try and split the day between mom and dad.

2. Food is a big part of the holiday season.  Which foods and treats do you most look forward to having? - always gotta have Pastelles, (cornmeal outside, beef/pork mix inside) sorrel, and a Christmas ham! You can also do hops bread!

3. It is a season for family, friends, guests and giving.  Would you write a bit about how it all comes together for you in December?   It just comes together. Again, I find it more stressful and sad than fun for the most part. I want my family altogether for the day, but my dad cannot get past the divorce.

4. Life changes and traditions alter due to those changes. Has anything changed for you and if so how? If not, would you mind sharing your traditions with us? - Nothing has changed for me really, besides where I go for the holiday... My siblings have a tougher time figuring out where to go on the day!

 

Things Moving Along

 I did some training for the job - we have switched to mobile clinics. I put in a few days in December, and some in January to work :)! Hopefully the extra money helps. My booster shot got done and I am happy about that. The new system at work is very tough, it is making life at work super annoying. Today, we could not even log in! Ridiculous. I bought a new phone, and my old one fixed itself - so I returned the new phone and I am just waiting on Amazon to refund me. The tracking number is not working properly, I dropped it off a week ago - I hope it is OK! I have been cat sitting my sister's cat and he is lovely, but I think we are too boring for him :P! He is getting used to me and only me, he avoids my mom and step dad like the plague! I would love a cat but I am too busy, and my mom just cannot be bothered! I am looking forward to time off in a few weeks, I need it! But I put myself on the work schedule so not as much time off as I would like, sigh!

Tuesday 4 - Home!

 Welcome to Tuesday 4 where we ask 4 questions each with to get you thinking, blogging and getting to know your fellow Bloggers!  We do this in memory of Toni Taddeo who founded it and who was so beloved by so many.

This week, let's talk about your home town or home state.

1. What was your hometown like?   Or home state or both! - I was born just outside of Port of Spain in Trinidad, but I moved to a Toronto suburb at the age of 10. So I spent time in each. Where I spent the first 10 years was quiet, nice, and my best friend at the time lived down the street from me. Where I moved to, was much bigger!!! But a very diverse city/town, and I loved growing up here as well.
   
2. Did you enjoy where you grew up?  Why? - I did love where I grew up, I wanted for nothing. Easy access to transit, my friends were close by, there was a lot of stuff to do OR I could get downtown easily if I wanted. It was a great place to grow up! Even in Trinidad, where I was growing up was pretty decent!
   
3. How much did where you grew up shape you? A lot, a little? I don't really know how to answer this one. But I would say a lot, even though I cannot put words into why and how it shaped me.
   
4. What were some of the best and worst things about where you grew up? - the best things are the sense of community, some childhood memories. the worst things now are the violence where I lived in Trinidad, and where I live now could use some help in the transit department!!!
   

A Successful Trip!

 Montreal was wonderful. Just really nice to get away from the city with my friends, and relax. We were lucky to stay there for free, and I would love to go again and just relax there. Everything was so great, the food was very expensive however. I left the office before the trip feeling overwhelmed, and while work is still bonkers, being away definitely helped a LOT! Meanwhile, I have decided to trade in my car (don't even ask) and I am so anxious - I have never traded one in before! Might beg my brother to go with me on the weekend and do it. He is coming over with one of my nieces (the one who is not used to us yet so she cries when we hold her, LOL) as his partner is visiting her family with their other daughter. I am kinda looking forward to Christmas, I bought some hot chocolate but need way more :P Also, hello to Frugal In Essex whose blog is defunct, but I think of you! And thoughts to CheapChick's family - I did read she has passed away. She blogged so beautifully and saw the bright side of everything, she was too young to see her life end so soon.