It seems to me as though the times during which I can least afford to be sick are the times during which I am most afflicted. Which, I suppose, is related to how the most stressful times (such as, oh, a major meeting taking place amongst a calendar full of Christmas concerts and Nutcracker performances and decorating and shopping) are the time during which my system is weakened, leaving me wide open for every germ and infection in creation to scream "Par-Tay in Karen's bronchial passages!"
Decorating is at a minimum this year, since I usually do the bulk of it during Thanksgiving weekend, and I instead spent this Thanksgiving weekend curled in a fetal position on the couch, trying to work up the energy to fold a load of laundry. And cards...well, they will go out eventually. Christmas lasts until January 6, after all. I got a chunk of my shopping done online yesterday, and will somehow get the last of it done.
But it's actually going to be OK. I am on round 2 of antibiotics, and seem to be sufficiently on the mend to do my baking on Monday. There is something about the smell of cinammon and molasses hanging in the air for a few days that improves my life. And we are a mere two weeks from Christmas without me having been subjected to that damned Christmas Shoes song. For that, I am thankful.
Saturday and Sunday will be taken up with Nutcracker performances; there is a magical element to the baby mice and the demi-sugar plums that makes all those nights sitting outside the dance studio worth it. We're also joking about having a crockpot full of hot buttered rum at the cast party. At least I think we were joking.
I think Hubby plans to buy the tree while I am driving the mom taxi on Saturday morning, which gives me plenty of time to get teary-eyed over the lifetime collection of ornaments I am trying to strategically arrange (my father would never forgive me for not hanging that bread-dough Santa I painted when I was 3 years old, but the back of the tree needs ornamentation, too, right?)
I just got notification that my Harry and David order has shipped, meaning that my Nanna will have her first montly installment of fresh fruit before the big party at her house. Nothing says "Merry Christmas" to the elder generation better than the gift of produce.
I brought out the leg lamp. Hoss took one look at it once it was assembled, and simply stated, "That is just disturbing." We've been cracking each other up all week with the "Fra-gee-lay." My lamp is an attempt to balance out the animatronic reindeer and sledding snowmen we inherited from MIL (she buys more kitschy crap every year, and just doesn't have space to display it all.) There is a house around the corner from us with about 25 inflatable, light up things on the lawn. Every night, Princess just shakes her head and says, "That is just over the line. I mean, really!" She is so ready for teen-ager-dom, is she not?
What do y'all think about ham for Christmas dinner? Hubby pointed out that we've served it before, but I think that was in about 2001, so it's not like I'm developoing a reputation for serving the same old thing. I just don't think I'm up to roasting a bunch of capons or anything this year, and I can just order one from the Honey Baked store and call it a day- I still have to do homemade sides to avoid the wrath of my husband, but steaming up some veggies and cheesing up some potatoes is not a big issue. We can have cookies for dessert, and everyone better like it, damnit.
Well, I am going to get back to work now, and stifle the effort to clock the woman in the next cube pod who has jingle bells on today's festive attire. I don't make a deal over the tacky sweaters, but anything that makes noise should be off limits.
