Meme and TCB

Karen over at Short Story Long tagged me for a "photo" meme. (Thank goodness she did, too, because I've had precious little to talk about the last couple of weeks!) I'm to find the fourth photo folder on my computer, and post the fourth picture in it, then explain it.


This is a photo of a rogue lily I found over in my side yard, where there's never been one before. I have no others like it anywhere in my yard, so some little critter must be responsible for its existence. I hope it comes back next summer.

So, what have I been up to the last couple of weeks? Well, there's been a long dentist appointment, a staff meeting, a meeting about new insurance, a groomer's appointment for Tandi and subsequent major cleaning session, (looking for fleas), a guild holiday luncheon, a quilting bee potluck, some grocery shopping, thrift shop donation, and the ever-present job--in which I've been kicked in the cheekbone by a dementia patient and called an angel by the fiance of a dying patient all in the same night--but not much Christmassing. I'm feeling overwhelmed.

The tree is assembled and "fluffed" and the lights are on--but nothing else. I did get the yard card set up and a make-shift manger and the 3-foot electric candles in the front yard. No gifts are wrapped, there are about 4 items placed around the house, I have to work 5 of the remaining 7 days til Christmas, and I have to empty the sewing room in preparation for my brother and his wife to come visit a week earlier than usual. And yet, I promised the rescue organization where I bought Tandi that I would make some crate pads to keep the dogs warm this winter. Fortunately, the weather has been unseasonably warm in our part of the country so far, but I'm feeling very overwhelmed, and very tired.

My efforts to Take Christmas Back have failed--I wasn't able to get to the mall to choose a name from the Angel Tree before the deadline, I couldn't find time to volunteer to be a bell-ringer, I bought items for a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child--only to find out it was too late for this Christmas, and I've only made and delivered one batch of cookies. I think I overestimated what I could do, and no matter how good my intentions were, my plans became yet another list of duties, responsibilities, "should-dos". There was no joy in it anymore, and that was defeating the whole purpose.

However, the majority of my list consisted of things that don't have to be done at Christmas--they can be done anytime. My fire department would undoubtedly love a big batch of cookies in January just as much as they would at Christmas. And anonymously paying for someone else's meal might be more welcome after the holidays. I think I'm going to postpone this list for now. Other opportunities may arise that I can fulfill between now and next Thursday, and I will try to keep my eyes open for them, but for now, the best way for me to Take Christmas Back is to not over-commit and therefore spoil it for my family.

I'm hoping you all are having a joyous, but peaceful week.