Facing down the Christmas Rush...and failing, so far.

After looking at the calendar before Thanksgiving, I knew that we would be in full on Christmas mode immediately after Thanksgiving...as it was so late this year.

I also knew that I was already woefully behind - a fact that I keep vowing to rectify every year - and fail to do because, holy cow, just HOW does the year go by SO fast?!  It seems it goes faster and faster every year.

So, I made a "game plan."  Which immediately went haywire, of course.  Man-Child - the one I counted on to help The Husband get the Christmas stuff down and move the 100 pound chair out of the way to make room for the tree - called the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to tell me he threw out his back and asked me to meet him at the orthopedic doctor.  Luckily, this wasn't as bad as last time, but still...they did promise to send him for an MRI; which has still yet to happen.  This is good only because if we can figure out whatever is going on and get it fixed while he's still on my insurance that will be considered a win.

Needless to say, we couldn't very well ask him to help with these chores while he was in pain.  So we improvised...which had The Husband and I getting the Christmas stuff down.  Thanks to the great Christmas stuff purge last year the majority of the boxes were light enough for him to hand down to me.  The tree on the other hand...it was something he had to handle on his own and, at one point, I was convinced it was going to slide down the ladder and land on his head!

Luckily, it did not.

He was then able to wrangle the friend two doors down's husband to come and move the heavy chair.  And then put up the tree for me.  And that it is were we are now.  With a light, but naked tree.

My game plan called for this to be a VERY busy weekend for me.  One filled with decorating, shopping and baking...in addition to my usual weekend chores - cleaning, laundry, etc.

Well, then LAST week occurred.

What happened last week you might ask.  I was struck down with something that if I didn't know better, I'd swear was the flu - despite the fact that I DID get a flu shot.  Usually, I don't let a cold side-line me.  I go to work (using copious amounts of hand sanitizer, hand washing, etc.) and get stuff done.

For the most part, I DID go to work but finally had to wave the white flag and stay home one day where I tried fruitlessly to nap (I simply cannot sleep if it is light outside) and be kind to myself.  I did discover if I stayed on a steady diet of DayQuil / NyQuil (as appropriate), I could "kind of" function.

This morning dawned and I felt marginally better, so I was ready to seize the day and follow the game plan to the letter - up to and including writing a detailed list of all that I planned to accomplish...only to be blindsided when I forgot to throw the medicine into my bag as I headed out to do ALL the things...and found myself back home, in my pajamas with utterly no energy.

To illustrate just how bad this illness has been; The Husband, who usually shrugs off any ailment I have, has been looking at me with real concern and acting as if I am going to die in the next instant.  And, declared QUITE LOUDLY, when I met him for lunch today that I looked ABSOLUTELY AWFUL and should go home IMMEDIATELY!  Thank you, husband, for pointing this out to every single person in the establishment...it's a real confidence booster.  But, to be fair, when I caught sight of myself in the mirror, I had to agree...I DID look like death warmed over.

So, basically, we are back at the beginning with a naked, but for the lights, tree.  I thought MAYBE I could muster up the energy to put the candles in the windows...but for the life of me, I can't figure out where the candles are - and the energy to actually figure out WHERE they might be has been expended.

The fact that I was able to cobble together this post is an actual miracle...truly.  Now, whether or not this post makes any actual sense is another story.  But here's hoping that tomorrow will find me ready to actually start doing Christmas stuff...and all the other stuff that needs doing.

Meanwhile, The Husband is headed out to a neighbor's  holiday party - despite his belief that I am about to expire - (I've told him he HAS to go) while I plan on taking more medicine and heading to bed.