And The Season Of Peppermint Jesus Dawns...

Quick! 

Put away that turkey platter!

Stuff those leftovers into the fridge!

The dishes can wait until tomorrow!

It's...it's...it's...CHRISTMAS!

Yes, no sooner have we slept off the tryptophan, than the season of peppermints and Jesus attack in full force.  Every year I swear that I am going to take the holiday season in and really enjoy it.  And every December becomes a whirlwind of powdered sugar, scotch tape and yards of twinkle lights.  Before I know it, the day has come and gone and we are searching for nooks and crannies to store all of our new belongings.

This is the year of change...I really am going to enjoy the season.  Which has already started.  On Thanksgiving night. 

Yes, I am a Black Friday shopper.  It's my favorite holiday.  I love the hustle and bustle and the amazing deals.  I go in with a good attitude...if I find something awesome, great!  If I don't, no big whoop!  There's no fighting, swearing or panic from me.  I like the people watching.

This year I went with one of the girls from work.  She had her heart set on a Doorbuster from Target, so we got in line at 8:00pm and spent 4 hours waiting for the doors to open.  Here are a few tips of the trade that I learned this year:

1.  Dress in layers.  I mean a LOT of layers.  November in Maine is not balmy.  It was COLD!

 

 

2.  Blankets.  They were lifesavers.

3.  Chairs.  I'm torn.  While I wished I had one to sit in, I found if I didn't keep moving my feet, they

     got real cold, real fast.

4.  Hand and foot warmers.  Wish we had thought of that one.

5.  If there are 2 of you, make a plan.  We split up, one of us heading to the item of choice, the other

     getting a cart (to store our blankets in, of course!).

6. Don't drink a lot before you go...there are no porta potties.  Someone in our line didn't get the

    message (see pic below).

(panties in a puddle of urine...wtf?)

 

7.  Make it fun.  Don't go into it with your heart set on any one thing in particular and you will be

     amazed at what you can find!

 

So, you might ask, what on Earth does this have to do with sitting back and enjoying the holidays?  Isn't this just adding stress?

Nope, I'm done with my shopping! 

Now I can sit back, decorate, wrap and bake at leisure!

Oh shit!  Do I have enough bows?

~Deb

 



I Miss My Nana...

Do you ever wonder if grandparents are wasted on the very young? 
Wait, that didn't come out quite right.  I really feel that grandparents play such an important part in a young person's life.
But what about us 40SomethingOrOthers?

Yesterday I did a craft fair in South Portland.  During the down times that occurred throughout the day, I pulled out my yarn and my crochet hook and worked on some ongoing projects.  For some reason, I could feel my Nana all around me.  Now, it might be the fact that both crafters and shoppers were a nice balance of the young and the young-at-heart.  Or it might be the fact that my Nana used to take me to church craft fairs and bean suppers when I was little.  Or it might be the fact that she shared my love of yarn and all the things that could be crafted by her hands out of it.  I don't know, but for some reason, she was there with me.

When my Nana was alive, I was too young to appreciate all the handmade gifts she lovingly made for me.  And, *GASP*, I couldn't possibly take time out of my crazy-busy social life to spend time with her, learning her gift of knitting.  But now that I am old enough to appreciate gifts of the hand-made sort and I have no social life to speak of, I can't help but wonder what it would be like if she were still with us?  Would we sit together on her couch, sip tea and create?  Would we chat about all the things I had no time for when she was here, like our family history and stories of the past that I always thought were lame, but now have the yearning to hear?

I don't know, who can foretell what can never be? 

In the meantime, I think I will just continue to do the things that I love to do, knowing that I share it with her and carry on a tradition that she started long ago.  And who knows?  Maybe she really is really here with me?

If so, Nana?  Could you help me out with socks?  I really want to figure out how to make them, but I am stumped!

Thanks,
Love and miss you,
Deb

 

 

Nana with Gabby