Muddling Through... Again

Gainesville

I've only missed two days, but it seems like a lot longer. It feels as if I've been carrying the weight of the holidays on my back-- maybe that's why I have an evil backache tonight. Many mistakes, both large and small. Taking the last week off just makes me feel guilty for not getting everything done-- I keep asking myself, what the hell did I DO all week? When I sit down and think about it, I can see how I spent my days, just nothing much seemed to come from it. (Cue Tom Petty's "It's Christmas" song.) Much spinning of wheels. Come next year I'm doing the FlyLady Holiday Cruise in earnest. Plus, I'll be retired.

It was messing up Marty's address AGAIN, and having who knows how many things for the kids go astray that broke my heart as well as my spirits. It's just like with computers-- once that corrupt bit gets in the system, it seems it can never be corrected.

We didn't get out to get the tree until yesterday morning-- and there was not a live tree to be had anywhere in town! Nothing but abandoned canopies where lots once were. After driving around over an hour I was ready to bag it for the year, but Bill insisted on getting an artificial tree-- my first. We went to Wal-Mart and got a 7 foot pre-lighted thing. I'd had everything set up for a real tree, so had to pack all that stuff away again. I felt like I was in some alternate reality: so strange to not put on the lights, not have needles breaking off everywhere, not getting sticky with pinetar, not fussing with watering cans. I must confess it was a lot easier and faster to get it decorated-- got it all done yesterday except for about 20 minutes worth today, and it looks great. Bill is happy as a clam-- he always had aritificial ones, but never complained about my retro nostalgia trip. My feelings are mixed. I miss the smell most of all. Maybe we could compromise and I could get a wreath to bring in for that.

Our nice cold weather finally gave out today and it was warm. How untimely-- the night we'd really LIKE to have the (artifical) fireplace going, and it's too warm for it.

I had to venture out shopping today for food, and for some desperation gift seeking too. Strangely, it was not all that crazy out there, which probably portends a poor year for the retailers. I did pick up something for Bill which satisfied the inner critic that I'd made a respectable effort if not exactly a heroic one.

I will just have a spiral cut ham-- how easy can it get? I plan to roast an assortment of veg, in particular some nice looking fingerling potatoes they've starting carrying at Publix. I'm going to roast everything I can find in the fridge and see what works-- should be an adventure, if nothing else.

Bill was fascinated by the Chocolate Bread Pudding on the cover of Cuisine at Home this month, so I am going to attempt it tomorrow. It will keep me busy until football starts at 5:00.

Speaking of which, quite a wonderful day, football-wise -- at least the Jags are in the play-offs for a change. Nice to see the Skins, the Fish, the Bucs, and even the Niners win, while Carolina and Tennessee bit the dust. Also glad to see Seattle doing so well.

Got all but about a dozen cards in the mail today while I was out. That dozen includes the ones I need to write notes for. Plus, I need to find addresses for those Bill wants to add this year. I thought I'd be so clever and send those newbies the ones left over from previous years, since they'd not have seen them-- only to realize, once I found them, that I'd written "Winter Solstice" plus THE YEAR on each of them-- D'oh!! Only a few of this year's cards got that inscription, since I discovered, too late to do anything about it, that the gold gel pen I favor for that had gone dry. It's this kind of little annoyance that has frazzed me out so badly this year, and really, when you think about it, they're all so trivial.

Thanks for the reports of the family Christmas Eve gathering. I sympathize with having to juggle multiple family obligations, but at least yours are all close at hand. Feel very much marooned down on the sandbar here. But for now...

I need to fill stockings for the cat and the man (both of whom have gone to bed). And that, too, has become a time-honored Christmas tradition.

I wish all of you out there in blogland a merry one.