Di runs this. You know the drill…

Do you have any family traditions? Mary and I have pizza rolls for dinner on New Year’s Eve. Mom used to make Shrimp Creole on New Year’s Eve, and I think Pat has continued that one.

With December on its way, have you ever been carol singing? Back in my Music Ministry days, we would do the 9 PM Christmas Eve Mass, and start off with a half hour of Christmas songs (not necessarily carols). Other than that, no.

Do you decorate your home for the Christmas holidays? No. The reason? Cats.

No further explanation should be necessary.

Do you enjoy the Christmas rush for preparations and shopping? We haven’t participated in the “Christmas rush” for many a year now. We don’t mind sitting back and watching from a safe distance, but as far as getting into it ourselves? Nnnnnnnope….

I’m grateful for Mary. The one thing in my adult life that I think I got totally right was marrying her.

Di has the questions, I have the answers, jokes, GIFs, etc.

Does the weather affect your mood? It can. For example, if, during the winter, I haven’t seen the sun for an extended period of time (which, here, is a definite possibility), I get cranky.

If a stranger smiles at you or says ‘good morning’ when they pass you in the street, do you return it? Reminds me of the joke Carl Reiner told at the end of an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show: “Walk down the street with a smile on your face. You’d be amazed at how many people walk up to you and say, ‘what’s so funny?'” Now, having said that, I’ll generally smile back and maybe nod my head, but that’s generally the farthest I’ll go.

If you had a choice of just one of these things to eat, what would it be and why?
Chocolate, a sweet pastry, a plate of chips/fries (this is not a forever choice, just one instance). Probably start with chocolate today, then pastry tomorrow and fries the day after that, and start the cycle all over again. These are three of my favorites!

If you could go back to when you were a specific age, what would that be? Why? From [this post](https://thesoundofonehandtyping.com/2019/04/18/writers-workshop-at-seventeen/):

I’d like to restart my life on March 25, 1973, the day I turned 17. This was the end of my junior year and start of my senior year of high school. My mother and I had a difference of opinion about where I should go to university, and I didn’t fight hard enough for my choice. As a result, I ended up going to a school I didn’t want to attend. My first two years at university were a disaster, and I didn’t care. I don’t like myself when I’m passive-aggressive like that, but that was the person I was then.

And as for gratitude…

Di is back with more questions, as Melanie is still under the weather (and keep those prayers and thoughts coming for her, please!). I’ll do my best to answer them…

How organised are you? Do you plan ahead, take things as they come, or does it depend on the circumstances? Organized, me?

As for whether I plan or “pants,” Typically I take things as they come, but occasionally we plan things out.

How many Christmas presents have you bought already? None. We don’t do Christmas shopping.

Do you prefer a family gathering for special occasions, or just you and your significant other? Mostly just Mary and I. When we lived closer to family, we participated in more family gatherings.

How many words do you think your pet understands? More than she lets on…

Please share a gratitude meme for your readers.

And that’s it for this week…