Okay, it's Little Christmas Eve (a term I learned in Norway), the presents are wrapped, the house is decorated, the food has been purchased, the forecast is for snow, and I'm ready for a PAR-TAY!!!!! I hate it when Christmas is brown, or just wet from a drizzle of rain. It's supposed to snow! However, I do have this nagging fear that the coming storm will be more than Currier & Ives, inching (literally) toward white-out. Then what would I do? And God forbid my guests should arrive, get snowed in, and have to spend the night. THEN what would I do???
We did last minute shopping today. We got there 4 minutes after the 10 o'clock opening, figuring we'd get in and out and beat the rush! Duh!!! At 10:04, we had a hard time finding a place in the parking lot. And it's a big-ass parking lot! But I steeled myself with determination and a holiday smile on my face, and joined the throngs. Like Santa, I went straight to my work, steadfastly making my way to exactly the right aisles. The problem was, I forgot about laying a finger aside of my nose and keeping track of Big D (so slow he goes!) And he's so nice! He waits for anybody and everybody who'd like to cross infront of him. The result is, I end up standing there holding a lug of oranges, a bag of apples, and the only bunch of bananas that are actually ripe enough to eat, all of which I've picked up in the blink of an eye -- and he's still waiting to merge with the cart traffic!
"Keep moving," I say. I want to hold up a sign that says, "We're walking, walking; we're walking this way." There's a special way to shop on the day before Christmas Eve, and it doesn't include browsing. We finally decided it was easier to "station" him someplace that was relatively free of foot traffic while I made short hops here and there to gather my goodies, which worked better anyway. I could move faster in and out of traffic without having to maneuver a cart, and he became my "go-to" guy. Now if we could just remember where we parked the damn car!
Anyway, the rush is over. It's time to start cooking and settle down with a nice glass of wine. My day would be complete if they'd just show "A Christmas Carol". I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and Santa brings you just what you want. Yes I still believe! And I still love the magic of Christmas morning. I wish we could spend it with ALL of our family, but alas, they're scattered hither and yon and insist on having their own lives.
Love to all.
2 comments:
I just cried a bit. I wanna come home....
I'm loving your blog and your stories. I don't know how well you know my situation, but I've heard a lot of first hand accounts of the 'life-behind-bars'. I laughed at the hooch story; not only do they save all their fruit cocktail, they get all the sugar packets from breakfast too, and add that.
But that's not what I wanted to talk about this time. I have been so torn this year. Being so far from family during the holidays makes it harder to completely enjoy it. So I talked to my beloved hubby about going to your Christmas Eve affair. I absolutely enjoyed it the first, and last, time I was there. But the drive home and the last-minute arrangements that need to be made before Christmas morning makes both our heads whirl. So a suggestion; next year, if you are hosting again, we would love to come if we could meet a little earlier in the day. ?
Which brings me to another thought: When I gave my thanks to the extended family, I meant you too. You welcomed my children and me into your home with wide open loving arms and I can't be more grateful for that. It reassured me in my heart and mind that J and I were doing the right thing.
Love ya and Merry Christmas!
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