Week 51 - Prepped and Ready

I started the week with the realization that Christmas was almost here and I had to get organized. I was at Wal-Mart before work on Monday so I could have some gift cards in the mail that day. I packed Ginny’s stocking stuffers and mailed them on Tuesday. After work Wednesday I did my final (or so I hoped) shopping. Thursday was our Accounting Christmas lunch so I had my Secret Santa gift ready to go. I made progress every day and went into the weekend with a large but manageable to do list.

I actually began the weekend with a very nice dinner at Nancy’s Friday night. After dining on Alan’s yummy pork roast, Nancy did a show and tell of all the vintage goodies from her aunt's house, which she’d helped clear out recently. I left with a bag of orange linens that make me smile.

Despite my late arrival home Friday, I had my list and no commitments so hunkered down for a super productive weekend. I steadily got things done but had time to enjoy the journey. Phone calls with Carolyn to share updates on our progress helped too. I even had time between errands to take some photos of a hotel on 5th Street that's being demolished. Now it’s Sunday night and everything is wrapped, cookies are baked, the house is tidy and the laundry’s done. All I have left to do is throw clothes and presents in my suitcase and I’ll be ready to go. And I finished it all in time to spend the evening watching the Survivor Finale while knitting a new pair of socks I started with yarn from my Secret Santa. Life is good!

I don’t know if it’s hormones or what but I’m really excited for Christmas this year. I’ve found that the older I get the harder it is to overcome all the logistics and find the fun in the holidays. But this year I’m feeling the joy and am excited to head to Rhode Island to spend Christmas with family and friends. I hope you all can finish your to do lists in time to get into the spirit of the holidays and have a great time.

P.S. Here’s an idiot update – The man I backed into at Walgreen’s last week called to report that he got 3 estimates and the lowest was $1400. I immediately called my insurance company, talked to them for about 10 minutes and they said I was done and they’d take it from there. I guess this is why you buy insurance. It felt like a huge load off my mind and my agent thinks my rate won’t even go up. I guess I’ll believe that when I see it but at least that’s one less thing on my mind going into the holidays.