Calm before the Madness

Hey, A.

I don't envy you that battle between I'll feel guilty if I don't and how dare they even ask?! that's knocking around in your head. I wonder what you'll decide. Please share when you do.

Today is my last quiet night for a while, I'm afraid. Other than the gym, I stayed in tonight, had a low key dinner and made my lists, and tweaked my lists, and picked up a little, and am now winding down with my third glass of wine (but there's still half a bottle, so I'm not over pouring). Tomorrow the craziness begins, but--quite honestly--I'm looking forward to it. Some of it, anyway. This is what the next few days look like for me:

Thursday: faculty meeting and holiday get together at that restaurant you and I went to and met up with M. if I have energy after, I'll try to run an errand or two, maybe just a quick trip to the liquor store to restock my brandy, vodka, and Prosecco. Get home, get in jammies. Make treats.

Friday: pay day. Let the real shopping begin. Start after school at post office, mail your package, proceed to mall madness. Maybe belly up for a 10 dollar steak if I get enough done. Maybe go home and make more treats.

Saturday: sleep in, if I can. Have coffee, get my ducks in a row, go to gym, finish or continue shopping. Come home, wrap what I can, head to M's at 5 for dinner with her and her son. Brandy Alexander (in one of my fun double old fashioned glasses) with my name on it when I get home safely.

Sunday: gym, breakfast (brunch) with mimosas, finish making treats, wrap. Open to invitations, perhaps to inviting someone here. Or not.

Monday: after school meet friend from dentist's office that I've reconnected with lately at one of my (and W's) fave places for happy hour.

Tuesday and Wednesday: suffer through two more days of school with students who have been checked out for a week. Resist temptation to hooch up my coffee or stash nips in my car. ;-) Stick a fork in me. I'm done.

Then, vacation begins Thursday, Christmas Eve at last.

Wonder what your next few days look like. I am jealous that you are all shopped and wrapped, but pretty certain it won't be all peace and quiet for you either. In fact I hope it's not...There's just something about all the visiting and hurrying and stopping only when you really need to and can therefore really appreciate the peace and quiet that says Christmas. Don't you think?

Love you,

Barb