2010 Christmas Card

This year's Christmas card!

Oh What Fun Christmas 5x7 folded card

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Thanksgiving Wish

As part of my yearly tradition, I sent out my Thanksgiving email:

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

It's that time of year again. When the roads, skies and rails are packed with people all trying to get back to their loved ones. And maybe if they're lucky, can get a little sumthin' sumthin' in the TSA pat down line. I am finally one of those people who have to travel hours (8 by car, to be exact) to make my way back home.

2010 has been another year of contrasts. We have seen incredible devistation with the earthquake in Haiti and have seen miracles in the rescue of the Chilean miners. We have cheered with the Olympians in Canada and recoiled in horror as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion devistated our oceans.

Whether you like your tea with sugar or with Palin, Rally for Sanity, Rally for Fear or Rally for the Cure, I think we can all agree that when that turkey comes out of the oven we're all rallying for the drumstick!

This year has been one of amazing change for me. I have changed addresses, jobs, and loves. I've traded in the Garden State for the Tarheel State and I've had to defend that everyone from New Jersey is not like those clowns on Jersey Shore! But even though I hit a fork in the road, I have discovered so much more.

Thank you to the new friends I have made. Thank you to the friends who haven't forgotten me back home. And thank you for my family who make it feel like I've never left.

Before the insanity of the holidays hit you hard, take this time to stop and take a breath. If you have a roof over your head, a dollar in your pocket, a full belly and a full heart then you will never want for more.

My wish for you this Thanksgiving is to be healthy, happy and home (where ever you call home).

Love always-
Claudine

Normally the responses I got back were kind words.

Except for Charles. (Yes, he was on my email distribution list because I really don't harbor any bad feelings.) His response withing seconds of me hitting send: I'm not in the mood.

Well then. How about go fuck yourself. Are you in the mood for that?

Fucker.

Labor Day Weekend

I had a great Labor Day weekend here in Raleigh. It was full of activities that made me appreciate all that I have around me.

Friday was First Friday in Raleigh. It's an art celebration on the first Friday of each month. I love it because not only to art galleries participate, but local businesses turn into galleries as well to showcase local artists as well as their products. I picked up a cute necklace and wore it proudly the rest of the evening.

Among the cobblestone streets of Moore Square you can also find musical artists to entertain you. This band had the crowd dancing in the streets, myself included.



Saturday afternoon I joined a MeetUp group to go horseback riding at Dead Broke Farm in northwest Raleigh. There was a group of 12 people, some who hadn't rode a horse in 15 years (like me) and others who never rode a horse at all.

It was a slow trail ride. Quite boring actually, with all the stopping and starting. I was getting annoyed by two newbies who had no idea what they were doing. One woman kept screaming practically every time her horse moved. She sucked. Then this other guy -- this very large man on an equally large horse -- tried to reason with his horse when it wandered into the woods. "Why must you go into the woods?" I thought that if he actually held the reigns and steered his horse he'd get better results.

My horse, Keeper was a sweetie. Except that he/she (?) kept turning its head to nibble on my foot. I wasn't sure if it liked me or hated me.

There were a few cool people in the group. Afterward we went to a local bar for some beers and burgers. A good way to end off the afternoon.

Sunday was mainly spent running errands, but I hung out with new friends that night. We ate pitas and hummus and drank wine on the deck in Durham while we watched the dogs run around. I did not bring Barry. He's kind of an ass and I wasn't in the mood to babysit my dog.

Monday was the best day of all. The weather was gorgeous. Just right for a baseball game. Since I came to North Carolina, I knew I had to go see a Durham Bulls game. Bull Durham is one of my favorite movies and I needed to go and pay homage.

The ballpark was beautiful and my seats were right behind first base, a few levels up. It was a long game -- about 3 hours. But the Bulls finally won 6-5 in the 12th inning.

A great end to a great day to an even greater weekend.

2010: Resolutions

New Years Day I sat with my cousins around the breakfast table talking about what we wanted to accomplish in the new year.

Liam wants to put on weight (unlike millions of other Americans)
Ken wants to finish working on the laundry room.
Eric wants to take Ali on a trip to Europe.
Priscilla wants a job (so do I).

Me, along with my usual wish of seeing a new country, I also want to take pictures, video or write every day to record the wonderful but sometimes mundane aspects of the year. Because when you look back on it, it's a beautiful reminder of what you accomplished, witnessed or just survived.

So, with the help of my wonderful family, here's my first fulfillment of my 2010 New Years Resolutions.

What Christmas Means To Me

Christmas seems to change for me over the years.

When I was little, there was magic in the air. From the lights on the christmas tree, to the sounds of spanish christmas music to the anticipation of listening for the reindeer on the roof.

During my tween and teen years it was about what cool gift was waiting under the tree.

College was about meeting up with your friends after all the family obligations were over.

Now Christmas is about none of that -- yet all of that.

Its about the magic of having my extended family all under the same roof.

About the cool gifts of laughter we share.

And about getting together with my family after all the work obligations are over.

I love Christmas.

Caro Christmas 2009 from Claudine Caro on Vimeo.

Caro Christmas 2008

This is a typical Christmas Eve with my family... music, food, dancing, laughing...Good times.