04 December 2010

21 Days Before Christmas

Oh, goodness! I hated that alarm clock this morning! We didn't go to bed until two. But I tiptoed out of bed and got dressed and started wrapping gifts that needed to be mailed out. I was going at such a clip I could hear the background music from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol when Scrooge and Dick are cleaning out Fezziwig's counting house going in my head. (I was also checking out the Scotch tape hand dispenser I got to review from Amazon Vine. It works out splendidly!) I wrapped gifts for four people (there were five packages) and then put them in padded envelopes (all they needed, except for one that needed a box), then got dressed (I had hastily gulped down some oatmeal and milk between packages) and we scooted out to the Marietta post office. It was remarkably empty for a Saturday in December—only about ten people in line! (You have to see it on weekdays; the line is usually out the door, with secretaries in there with piles of envelopes from the lawyers who work at the courthouse.)

So the packages are off, the Christmas cards are mailed, and my one international card will be winging its way soon—and it wasn't even noon yet.

We ended up going to the hobby shop via Sam's Club. Walked around Sam's and found some gifts to put away. James has been asking for Christmas ideas, so I asked if he would buy Theodore Rex while I bought The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. I started reading the latter while we were at the hobby shop. I love the narrative already and I haven't even gotten past the introduction.

On the way home we stopped at Bernhard's Bakery and got a half dozen treats for the next three days' desserts.

Once home, it was a-bustle again. James pulled out the outside lights and proceeded to start putting them up, while I assembled the new rocker. Allen wrenches. I hate Allen wrenches. :-) But it is all put together and settled with a Christmas fleece throw and a holly-patterned pillow (and I had to vacuum and vacuum later on to get all the crumbs of that darned styrofoam from the box off the rug).

James had the tall lights up when I got out there, and I helped him do the railings and then the bushes (I just scatter the lights over the tops, so it looks like blue stars fell on them). We were continually threatened by spatters of rain, but it held back while we were out there. Now we have blue lights (with white stars and white snowflakes).

After that both of us were too tuckered to go out to eat anywhere. We had pizza and watched the news, and now I have Christmas specials on: John Denver and the Muppets, The Bestest Present and The Christmas Angel, It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special, and now A Very Merry Cricket.

(Okay, Chester and Company is over. James has gone down to the man cave and I'm putting Ask the Manager Christmas eps on. Time for Joe (and Dan) and Dana!)

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