During this week before Christmas, I’m just happy to be actively writing again, moving right along on the seventh novel of my Other Worldly series, Aliens Watch. Because November and now December have turned out to be stress-inducing and expensive, and not for the usual holiday-related reasons.
First, I spent the Sunday and Monday before Thanksgiving at the veterinarian, feeling horribly worried and guilt-ridden that my cat Morris had likely eaten something in my craft room where I’d just made all of my Christmas cards. Whatever it was apparently caused a digestive obstruction, as he didn’t eat or drink for days. And this is a cat who is fond of his food, and wakes me daily at zero dark thirty for it.
Instead, I was waking every hour in panic that he wasn’t getting any better, still vomiting all over the house in the darkest hours of the night—in more ways than one.
The good news is I was able to bring him home after only one night of hospitalization and multiple x-rays to determine that he would not need surgery. Then came the tricky part of giving him three separate medications, although I quickly learned that after one day, my kitty definitely no longer needed the pill for appetite enhancement.
Ironically, last week I had my own human hospital-horror of a shitshow, also involving a stomach issue. An outpatient procedure that was in no way worth the stress and disgust the experience ultimately caused. Let’s just say that the disrespect and utter insensitivity directed at those who live alone, among other indignities, is something I may have to tackle in a future blog post.
These are the unpleasant things one does not include in one’s annual Christmas letter mailed out with the aforementioned handcrafted Christmas cards. But I figure blabbing about them in my blog might be okay, given I also want to talk about something holiday-related and cheerful, as well as directly related to my Other Worldly novels.
To wit, who knew someone would think to create a Luna moth Christmas ornament?
Imagine my surprise when visiting my Facebook page these past weeks at repeatedly finding an advertisement for Old World ornaments, displaying many choices to scroll through, but frequently showing the spectacular Luna moth. Up front and glistening glittery alien green. Beckoning to be bought for the boughs of my Christmas tree.
Uncanny that this particular moth appeared as a prominent selection, as my Other Worldly protagonist Rowan Layne would say, given her fabulous fictional alter ego, superheroine Luna Moth Woman. Or perhaps not so coincidental, because, you know, big brother is watching and our phones are listening (snarky face emoji). But all potential paranoia aside, I was delighted to discover this glorious Luna moth trinket for sale.
Last year when these ads appeared in my Facebook feed, I eyed with longing the Jupiter ornament, but was not willing to splurge on it, having already purchased a fun UFO flying saucer for my tree. Plus, my sister also got me ornaments involving aliens of the “little green men” variety, also known as Greens in my Other Worldly novels. The same color as Luna moths.
Fact is, I have way too many ornaments, collected since childhood and basically from every locale I’ve ever been to while crisscrossing the country multiple times on road trips over the years, so it’s not like I really need any new ones.
Nevertheless, this year I went for both the Luna moth and the planet Jupiter, which was unfortunately smaller than it should be, given it’s the largest in our solar system. The red dot on Jupiter’s surface also appears too small, in my non-scientist opinion, but I’m still tickled to have it.
I also went all in and got a third ornament, a delightful roadrunner amidst blossoming prickly pear cactus. Roadrunners just happen to be featured in my most recently published Other Worldly novel, Altogether Alien. This funny and fascinating bird also frequents my community, oft seen on morning walks with my dog Bodie, and bringing much joy and giggles—except for the one that was running around with a lizard in his mouth. Yikes.
All in all, these three ornaments have been a perfect way to instill some much-needed Christmas cheer. Though I stopped myself before I went on to purchase another seemingly new entry in the array of Old World ornaments, none other than Bigfoot.
Uncanny, because Bigfoot happens to feature in Aliens Watch. Hence, it’s definitely on my wish list for next year, although I already have an Abominable Snowman, otherwise known as a Yeti, or a Bumble in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
You know what else is uncanny? That retailer name, Old World Christmas ornaments, just happens to have OW initials, as in Other Worldly. There’s a certain symmetry in that, given they brought me my Luna moth ornament.
Here’s to all who love their ornament collections as much as I do. And long live Luna Moth Woman!