let the insanity begin

One of my favorite (unsold) designs. I like it for all the wrong reasons, its bright red, stylized and not traditional at all. Not to say there is anything wrong with tradition, it helps place us in the universe, but this season brings out the wacky in everyone.

Even as I type the race is on to find the 'right' turkey, locate the serving dishes and make sure you invite everyone. Then its the mad dash to put up the tree, start the shopping, decorate the cookies, mail the cards, etc, etc, etc...

I opted out of this years ago...

This year David has to work on Thanksgiving, so I made reservations for a nice evening meal at a beautiful Inn. No crazy getting up at 5am to stuff the turkey, no dishes and no pressure to eat till you explode. Of course, if my mom were around she would also point out: no leftovers! That is the give and take of a stress free life.

Christmas, we will probably not even buy presents, after 31 years together, you got all the cheap perfume, moisturizer and body lotion a person can use. And after the year he bought me a Chain Saw, I decided gift giving was not his forte.

Nope, I'm not buying into the 'black Friday' sales, the must have gifts (I know he thought that snuggie was a freakin' awesome idea) will be left for some body's elses garage sale and no lebukucken will be made.

Its not that I am anti-Christmas...quite the contrary. I just think the mad dash to fulfill some misguided vision of a perfect holiday causes more harm than good.

My idea of a perfect holiday season...home made presents and cards, visiting freinds and family, evenings of laughter and rememberance.

So, if you enjoy the crazy, head out for the black friday sales with your cupons and left over turkey sandwiches...me, I'm sipping my decaf and watching the world go by.

how to run a house

Back in the day my mom would call me (50 miles away) to come over and take her to the store to get an onion. She wasn't necessarily making anything but she knew she was out of onions and they world will come to a screeching halt with out them. Certain things were always on hand and no questions should be asked. Besides the milk, eggs and bread, we also always had on hand:
raisins
cream of mushroom soup
bullion
oranges
scented candles
running out of any of these things constituted an national emergency and would result in a flurry of calls to rectify the situation. My Dad would go to the grocery store every night...every single night (well, yeah, he was flirting with the cashiers, but also to get his self imposed list...preparation H and a national enquirer)
Myself...I hate grocery shopping so it will take a 911 emergency to pry me out of the house,
you know, like running out of coffee
or moisturizer
or chocolate
So today I was planning dinner and realized I have no tomato sauce, onions, white bread, eggs or un-lumpy milk. Somewhere out there my mother is nudging the other moms up (or down) there and saying 'I tried to teach her but noooo, she thinks she can get away with dried onions and pita'.
So, apparently a grocery trip is in my future...where I will intend to buy all the grown up things like milk and bread, but will no doubt wind up with Ben and Jerry's Brownie Batter ice cream and some cover girl outlast lipstick.
Wendy's is on the way home.