Warning - Bah Humbugs Up Ahead...

This year, Christmas just ain't right...

We don’t have a tree or any decorations except for our normal “Welcome Wreath” on the kitchen door and a new fresh wreath from LLBean that we accidentally shipped to ourselves (was supposed to a present for someone else).

Joe got his bandsaw and chair-making class presents WELL before December, and his presents for me would seem kind of lonely without a place to be (like under a tree), so rather than wrap and open, I just got them out of the shopping bags when he came home with them last weekend.

I’ve only sent out 40 of the 100+ Christmas cards on my list – so the majority will now be New Year’s cards, since I don’t think I’ll even get to them until this weekend.

I haven’t done ANY baking. Each year I typically make enough dough between Thanksgiving and Christmas to make about 75 dozen cookies – most given out during the holidays, the others socked away (as dough) in the freezer for last minute take-along goodies throughout the year.

I haven’t been home on a weekend since Thanksgiving when my house was packed with friends and family. Since then I’ve traveled to GA, to DC, and to CT. Laundry and dishes barely get done, bills are paid but haphazardly so, and my office is one big mess.

I’m not complaining – merely stating that I need a break before *I* break. I need one good day to knit and watch chick movies and wind down. Then I need several days to finish cleaning up from Thanksgiving and the aftermath (yes, I know – I think I still have a bowl of leftover potatoes in the scary back of the fridge). Then I need to clean my office, catch up on paperwork, and actually file the things that are piled everywhere.

Then – and only then – can I begin the New Year with the following points of focus:

1) ME. Get off this weight loss plateau. Walk each morning. Track everything. Take the time to plan meals and buy groceries. Schedule my volunteer commitments so that my personal life does not become one spastic “have to” for everyone else. That just might include saying NO from time to time or even bowing out of current obligations. We’ll see. Knit more. Much more.
2) US. My wonderful hubby and I all too often work long hours and then veg with TV and take-out. That’s gotta stop. Not only have we lost ourselves, but we’ve been spending too much moolah. We know that when we focus we are unstoppable debt-reducers. What better time to start than now?
3) HOME. Since the Great Foundation and Porch Work of 2005-2006, we’ve shied away from interior improvements, mostly from burnout. That too must change. Half of our house still looks like it did when we moved here 6 years ago. We’ve gotta start taking care of this old gal and help her shine like we know she can. There is a tremendous amount of work we can do with very little money. It’s all about time and effort.

Well, that’s about it. May you and yours have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Me and Joe? We’ll be hangin’ out at home. Come on over.