Christmas progress

But first, guess what landed on our front porch the other morning?

If you guessed that vacuum cleaner, you would be right.  After The Husband took it to Mailboxes & More (which refused to take it), we have set it aside as we ponder what to do about it now.

Finally, finally, I am gearing up and getting things ready - I was getting worried because I had been procrastinating in a way that would make a professional procrastinator proud.  My fingers have been flying over the keyboard and packages keep landing on the porch (and, other than that wayward vacuum cleaner, they have all reached their intended destination).

The tree has been up for a couple of days, but half the lights weren't working (of course they weren't).  In order to spur myself into getting it decorated, I ordered a string of lights (as well as another space heater, so I can quit dragging the one around as I go from room to room) for curbside pick up this morning.

When I saw the notification that the order was ready this morning, I headed out.  Only to come home to discover that the one strand of lights wasn't going to cut it.  Determined to get that tree done TODAY, I headed back out.  And now, thank goodness, the tree is done.

My vacation starts on Tuesday, and I am expecting to finish up the shopping, baking, wrapping, shipping, etc. without the pesky invasion of work.  Oh sure, work will pop up that needs doing; but I won't be tied to the computer as I am trying to complete these tasks.  I will get to it when I get to it.

Speaking of baking, this year, I did have the fore-thought to make up two batches of cookie dough and froze it right before Thanksgiving.  I have never frozen cookie dough before - so we shall see the results are acceptable.  If successful, I am going to plan to do this again next year for even more batches, as that would be a huge time-saver.  

In addition to usual Christmas prep time crunch, the male half of our friends two doors down, is planning a surprise birthday party for his wife.  As luck would have it that falls three days AFTER Christmas.  He quickly realized that he was in over his head and reached out for help after he sent texts to family and friends asking them if they could come.  And they all said yes.  Of course they did.  Everyone loves her.

So in addition to crafting this post, thinking through the remaining gifts to be purchased and all the household chores that need doing, I am currently participating in group chat with him and his mother-in-law regarding the menu.  I was just beginning to suspect that he bowed out of the chat since she and I have been discussing the options and he hadn't piped up at all.  That is, until just before I wrote that last that sentence.

I do know that he doesn't text much; so I imagine he is hiding somewhere in the house two doors down trying not to let her see him texting and make her wonder what is going on.  And just as I typed THAT last sentence, he texted that she keeps asking who he is texting!   So I imagine, for tonight, our planning is on hold.  Maybe I should tell him to set his phone to mute when participating in future clandestine group chat planning sessions?