Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Ready for Christmas - NOT!

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed this year by all the stuff that must be finished before Christmas. (It sure is easier when I'm at Kate's for the Holidays. Then she's the one who has to keep track of all the activities). Actually,the problem is stuff that has to be done THIS WEEK! I have written my Christmas letter, but not yet printed or mailed it. Christmas cards are also not yet mailed -or even addressed and stamped, although I have bought the stamps. I have to bake more cookies for a party next week as well as to give to friends and neighbors. I'm running out of time!

However, I have accomplished some things. I have mailed off gifts to my son and daughter-in-law. They live in Scottsdale, AZ, so hopefully the gifts will arrive before Christmas. Presents to Kate and her family in England will not arrive until I do - in February! We've found this works well, as it's like a second Christmas for the kids. Also, as they get older, the kids would rather shop for presents than have me pick out something for them. The MAD Holiday Chorus, in which I am singing, is almost done for the season. We have a final concert tomorrow, having sung at two nursing homes and at a luncheon for the Maryland Space Business Roundtable. The speaker at this was the director of Goddard Space Flight Center. His presentation on various space explorations, both accomplished and for the future, was very interesting, even for a non-scientific person like me.

We've been having the strangest weather recently. One day it'll be in the 60s (actually 67) and then a day or so later, it's freezing. At least we're not getting an ice storm like New England got. We're having a week of rain, which actually is good for the plants. The little stream behind my house turns into a roaring river whenever we get a good rain. It's probably close to 8 feet deep today and noisy enough to hear inside the house, if my windows were open. It's such a little creek most of the time, just peaceful and serene. Then we get a good rain and wow! I tried to take a photo, but the trees still have too many leaves and the stream doesn't show clearly. It's too wet for me to slide down the hill and get close enough for a good shot. I might end up in the water! It would be nice to get some snow before Christmas, but I'm not expecting that. Almost never happens here.

Anyway, Christmas will be here before we know it. I hope all of you are ready for it (unlike me) and can just sit back and enjoy the music and decorations and baking (and eating).

1 comment:

mumzy said...

Kathy: I am NOT ready for Christmas as well. It has been a crazy year this year and I need a miracle to make me ready by Christmas Day. We, too, have had a lot or rain and everything is almost to the flooding stages. Hope it goes down a lot before the Spring thaw.