'tis the season...(m)

It's my crazy season.  Christmas.  My friend, Mary, says I go "underground" each year this time.  I just have to focus on getting through it.

In addition to buying, wrapping and delivering gifts, there's the decorating (inside and outside of the house) and the cards (take the picture, develop the cards, write the cards, mail the cards) and the meals (I'm hosting two parties, including Christmas for 20).

Yesterday, I forgot to eat until 6:45 p.m.  I did have one bag of microwave popcorn (100 calories) at around 11:30, but that was because I needed something to chew on after the bad experience with the Comcast guy (due at my house at 8, shows up at 11, informs me I need to call the alarm company to have them switch my house alarm to "test" mode for 2 hours while he's working on the cables.  I don't know my alarm company's name or number, my husband won't pick up his phone or answer my text or email.  I have to send the Comcast guy away and re-schedule so we can do this all over again.). 

The chewing must be some form of primal release.

Decided to give my brother, Phil, and his family a photo album of their late dog, Boomer, for Christmas.  Go to CVS to scan 50 photos, convert them to DVD and add about 50 of my own digital photos to the DVD.  All the octogenarians were at the scanners.  I had to wait 2 hours to do my project.  Shopped for stocking stuffers while I waited. 

Interestingly, I wasn't even tempted by all the candy (which was right next to the photo section).  I was "in the zone."

Picked up my husband's refurbished Gucci loafers.  He got them in Italy in 1984 on our honeymoon; the dollar was at an all-time high then.  Paid more to refurbish them than what he paid originally, but they look great. He put them on last night.  Never saw him so happy.

Made it just in time to pick H up at school and take him to the rink, watched him for a bit, and then brought him back to school for a Latin festival (not Latino, Latin.  Apparently, it's the Saturnalia). 

Went to Phil's house to see the new dog.  Charlie.  Very cute.  Ate salad with vinegar dressing and some chicken and vegetables while there.

Back home at 7:30 p.m.  Wrote cards.  Wrapped.  Quizzed H for his AP History exam (French Revolution--we decided Napoleon wasn't so bad at first).  Read some more of my Ted Kennedy book until 12 a.m. and fell dead asleep.

Here's my new "nephew" Charlie.