That’s just a little over two weeks, ya’ll!
So, how’s your Christmas shopping coming along?
Remarkably, my Christmas shopping is all but done. I think, like a lot of other people this year, I’ve scaled back my shopping quite a bit. I also don’t have a lot of people to buy for, which makes it much easier.
I always seem to get a case of the bah-humbugs early in the season — ya know, when they start putting out Christmas decorations in the stores at Halloween time. While I realize that retailers’ motivation is to get us in the mood to Christmas-shop, it seems to have the opposite effect on me: when it’s thrown in my face so many weeks before I’m ready for it, I resist out of spite.
The Christmas spirit didn’t really hit me until this past Saturday. I’m not sure what finally triggered it, but I woke up with a hankering to gift shop. Unfortunately, it had to wait till Sunday because I was teaching a knitting class at my local yarn shop that day, and had a holiday party that evening.
Sunday afternoon I was on a mission, though! I was going to finish my Christmas shopping in one day, dang it! And you know what? I did! Aside from a couple gifts I’m still making at home and one gift that I can’t buy till I drive back to Pennsylvania (from a local chocolate shop in my hometown), I am done and it feels so good!
I spent Sunday night wrapping all the gifts I bought. I’d totally forgotten how much I enjoy wrapping packages. I think I might just have a little tiny bit of Martha Stewart in me, because I really get a ridiculous amount of enjoyment out of creasing the wrapping paper just-so and tying a perfect bow. (I’m sick, I know…)
Even more exciting, in eleven days I’ll be leaving Tennessee to go back to Pennsylvania for the holiday. I am so looking forward to my mom’s holiday cooking and being with my parents, grandparents, and all my friends who are also coming home for Christmas.
The not-so-fun part is that I decided I’m going to drive home, which means about 11 hours in the car by myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me that there aren’t any major snowstorms in Kentucky, Ohio, or western Pennsylvania the day I’m traveling! Though I have all-wheel-drive, this Yankee-girl has been in the South too many years and just isn’t so accustomed at driving in snow anymore!!
I suppose a lot of mothers and daughters share a special bond, but I’d like to think my relationship with my mom is even more special.
Maybe because we’re both only-children or because when it comes to hobbies and interests, we’re basically a carbon-copy of one and another … but whatever the reason, in the 27 years that I’ve been on this planet, she and I have grown into the best of friends.
She’s my crying-shoulder, the keeper of all my secrets, my favorite companion to travel and explore with, and even my partner-in-crime for mischievous fun. I don’t know how I managed to be so blessed to have such a wonderful mother, but I’m incredibly grateful. Her wisdom, humor and strength have inspired me so much and I know I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today if it weren’t for her.
Happy birthday, Mom.
I had the chance to see these guys play while I was home in Erie. Check them out on MySpace: The Romantic Era. They put on a great show!
I can hardly even begin to explain how excited I am to be going home tomorrow. This will be the first major holiday that I’ve spent with my family in three years!
I spent the afternoon yesterday packing. I hate packing. I’m an obsessive list-maker, so I always start out pretty well. I’m great at following my list and remembering to pack things like my cellphone charger and toothbrush, but when it comes down to the clothes, I just get lazy and start throwing things in the suitcase left and right.
…which is why I end up back home northwestern Pennsylvania in 30-degree weather with only t-shirts to wear…
My mother made the point of reminding me to pack warmer clothes this time, and I think I did better. I guess we’ll see when I get up there and realize that while I have plenty of sweaters, I have no pants. (That would be like me…)
This time tomorrow I’ll be sitting at the airport waiting for my flight. I’ll be getting there super-early because Nick is dropping me off on his way to work. I don’t mind; I kind of love spending the entire day in the airport. I know that sounds crazy. But it gives me an entire day of uninterrupted knitting and/or reading time where I can’t possibly feel guilty for doing nothing but reading or knitting. If I were at home, I’d feel bad, like I should be doing laundry or cleaning or something. Not so at the airport! I’m stranded with nothing better to do than enjoy a book or knit on a project and there’s positively no guilt in that!
I’ll try to update my Twitter and my Flickr pages while I’m gone. Hope everyone has a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Even more exciting, in eleven days I’ll be leaving Tennessee to go back to Pennsylvania for the holiday. I am so looking forward to my mom’s holiday cooking and being with my parents, grandparents, and all my friends who are also coming home for Christmas.
