As free as the wind blows

The last cookie of Christmas.

Last night we watched Born Free. Do you remember this 1965 gem? Based on the real-life story of Joy and George Adamson, it chronicles the raising of 3 lion cubs by this couple who then commits to releasing their favorite (once she's full grown) back into the wild in Kenya. I know I saw this on TV when I was young, and I remember that it was shown at my elementary school. Ken thinks it may have been the first movie he saw in a theater. I believed it to be another key element of Dean's film education -- a compelling story, a classic film, and a song that you've got to be able to break in to when the moment is right.

Meanwhile, I'm forging ahead with my whole Christmas Club scheme and have this to show so far:Cut out felt pieces, waiting to be sewn on -- this is about 8" x 11" or so and I'll finish it as a tabletop piece.

When Bethany said she wanted in to this whole year-long 'let's get ready for Christmas' thing she said she was going to start by making a list. As much as I can love a good list, I've noticed that I've become less of a list-maker these days. Oh sure -- I'll make a list for the grocery store because without it there's no hope, and I'll make my to-do lists at work so I don't forget what I most need to accomplish in a given day or week.

But I've noticed that I've been turning away from long-range lists for a while now. As much as I'm tempted to do something like this (although mine would be things to do before I turn 50 in a couple years), I'm also reluctant. I've carried around notebooks for years filled with lots and lots of lists only to find that I'm over-zealous in the list making department and under-performing in the accomplishing and crossing out departments. They become burdens, those lists of the undone. Want to see everything I failed to accomplish in 2005? I've got that list right here....

But I did make up a list for this Christmas crafting thing -- while I'd still like to blindly believe that I can do so very much in a year, a list (done the right way) makes me appreciate that there are limits. My list has a mix of gifts to give, projects to complete for our house, and includes getting cards done early as well as the wrapping.

As an aside, it has always amused me to no end that Ken will write something down on a list that he's just done so he can instantly cross it off. Maybe there's something to that.

And I leave you with, simply, the whole enchiladas. Before baking and consumption. Yum.