Merry Christmas!
@bagarad (14283)
Paso Robles, California
December 23, 2019 10:00pm CST
My life has changed quite a bit in the past few months, and I'm online less and less. My husband is becoming more frail and I'm having to take on more at home besides keeping up with the book business I went back to in July.
I don't write much anywhere anymore. I'm just not motivated at the end of the day to do more than play word games I found on Instagram. That's the only place I'm socially active on line much anymore because that's where I sell books. If any of you are there, let me know and I'll search for you.
I did want to come back though, and wish you all a Merry Christmas or whatever your preferred holiday is.
I feel the fact that I'm getting older. My husband is eighty now. I'll be there in another four years. I'm also facing a doctor appointment at the end of the month to see if a mole I just discovered may be a melanoma. I hope it isn't. That's about all that's new here. So far I'm still alive and kicking and in good health unless that mole proves otherwise.
We will have a quiet Christmas. We will go to church on Christmas Eve because the weather and various health situations in both families prevent us from seeing our friends in Southern California this year. They are very tired from months of remodeling and we don't feel up to driving a long way. There will likely be rain on Christmas Day and traffic is bound to be terrible. It just makes better sense to stay home.
Do you have any holiday plans this year? Any traditions that are important to you? We have kind of left our traditions behind now that we have no children to pass them to. They were a big part of our traditions. My brother is hours and five counties away, so we won't be seeing him this Christmas. The family got together in Fresno for Thanksgiving this year.
I hope your holidays will be peaceful and find you in good spirits. I'll be celebrating what's in my intro picture.
16 people like this
16 responses
@RasmaSandra (73743)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Dec 19
Enjoy your Christmas except for watching Christmas movies in the evening I will be online writing
2 people like this
@Courtlynn (66918)
• United States
21 Jan 20
Im sorry you arent online more. And about your husband.
I hope its not melanoma. Fingers crossed.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Jan 20
Thank you for your kind words. It turned out to be not melanoma. But I do have to have a small skin cancer of another type scraped off my arm in a week. As for my husband, he has some good days when he's able to do more than normal.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95828)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Dec 19
Hope you have a good Christmas. It was good to see your name and know you are ok.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
We did enjoy a break from our usual activities on Christmas. I hope you also had a good one. One reason I did pop in was because I know I worry about people who usually post and then don't for a long time. I didn't want my friends here to worry when I'm fine.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95828)
• Marion, Ohio
26 Dec 19
@bagarad We know you have had a lot of changes in your life. I disappeared from most sites while I was taking care of my mom and dad. It gets hard. But keep checking in at least.
@just4him (307356)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Dec 19
I hope you have a merry and blessed Christmas.
I'm sorry your husband has grown frail and I hope the mole isn't melanoma.
I'm getting together with my younger son and grandson tomorrow.
Do you own a bookstore again? I'm glad you're keeping busy.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
Hope you had a good time with your son and grandson. My bookstore is online. I specialize in books for teachers and homeschoolers and Christian books. Some are new, many are used. I'm no longer buying for resale. I'm just trying to clear the house of what I already have. That includes books that inspired me when I was in college and when I was a bride and a new parent. I have outgrown most of those books now, though many of the InterVarsity Press books I'm rereading to review for younger generations who are missing them because they no longer get promoted much. This also includes books by Anna Mow, Eugenia Price, and Rosalind Rinker from other publishers. Have you read anything by them?
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
The appointment is Friday. I'm not looking forward to it. Hope you had the kind of Christmas you wanted. Ours was completely relaxing and peaceful at home. So different that our usual being on the road coming home from somewhere on Christmas Day.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54407)
• United States
24 Dec 19
i hope your holidays are wonderful! I miss your posts but family always comes first!
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
As you've probably figured out, I gave up on Virily. It was the hardest site to post on with the smallest return. I make more on Medium even when I don't have time to post most anymore. And they don't withhold my earnings if I'm inactive for awhile. Posting is very easy there. And they calculate your earnings every day and pay at the beginning of each new month for the month before. But they are more interested in words than photos, and editorial standards are strict if you want to be seen. It also costs to become a member. I earned my year's membership back in four months. After that it's been profit. If I just had more time to write I'd probably be making much more than I am now, which is very little since I stopped posting often. Hope you enjoyed your holidays. Glad we can still meet here occasionally.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54407)
• United States
26 Dec 19
@bagarad i have looked at it several times! i am still on the fence.
@BarBaraPrz (45597)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Dec 19
The glue has gone out of my family. My sibs just stick to their own.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
24 Dec 19
We try to see each other in Fresno at my nephew's since it's an easier drive for us than going to Southern California's congested freeways. Our defensive driving skills have deteriorated since we don't often need them here. We keep in touch by phone and on Facebook.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
I often think about the people here and intend to pop in, but it rarely happens because other urgent things come up. I should be checking our bank accounts right now, but I'll wait until I'm through here first. Hope you had a good Christmas. Maybe I'll see you more on Instagram.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
Thank you. Did you also celebrate Christmas? Or do you celebrate something different? I go back to business and bookselling today.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16548)
• China
24 Dec 19
Nice to see you back ! Merry Christmas to you in advance ! We just set great store by the Spring Festival here.
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
24 Dec 19
Yes everything changes and not always for the better. Enjoy your Christmas the best you can and maybe you will pop in and see everyone from time to time. 
1 person likes this
@sprite1950 (30453)
• Corsham, England
27 Dec 19
@bagarad I'm glad you managed to enjoy your Christmas and yes thank you I enjoyed mine which was also peaceful. I ate far too much so going to cut back and try and get more exercise now.
@JudyEv (326222)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Dec 19
It's so nice to see your name appearing again and thanks for popping in to wish us well. Our Christmases are much quieter than they ever used to be but that's okay. I hope you enjoy your day and all the best for the future. I hope your book business does well.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
I miss catching up with you here, Judy. We were relieved to stay home and spend a quiet Christmas with each other this year. On our rainy Christmas day it felt good to just sit home in our PJs most of the day and rest. I didn't even cook. We snacked all day. All Hubby wanted me to fix was popcorn -- something he rarely eats. We had leftover pumpkin pie from Costco. fruit, nuts, and baklava. I'm trying to behave today.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
24 Dec 19
Have a lovely Christmas.
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
26 Dec 19
I hope you had a good Christmas. I spent mine just with my husband at home and it felt good to just relax and not travel. We stayed home because our friends in Westlake have been under a lot of pressure while remodeling a house their daughter will probably move into this month. My friend's husband, who has also become our close friend, was in a lot shoulder pain, and I knew that he really didn't feel up to being a host. We did not really feel up to traveling either, so we all decided it was best to skip our usual Christmas Eve get-together. We staying in our PJs most of the day.
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13447)
• United States
26 Jan 20
When you have some one else to care for, your time becomes limited. You pick and choose where you can be , what sites to be on.
