Done...No, wait. Not. Okay. Done. Kinda

Tis the season to be busy and overwhelmed.  Everyone seems to have had the same sentiment this year: it just came at us SO FAST this year.  No one feels prepared, I think.  the fact that this post has taken me almost three days to complete is almost too on-the-nose of an example.

Photographic evidence of the status of this house on Saturday:

I had to go into town twice.  TWICE.  Once with Kevin to pick up groceries while he got his hair cut and then alone to run errands and do some shopping. To be fair to Kevin, he had projects going on and frankly, he just didn't want to go.

What the photo above does not contain is the bouquet of flowers I bought for Kevin's parents 62nd anniversary.  I didn't buy a vase because and I quote myself: "You have So Many at home."  

I did not have So Many at home.

At least not of the correct size for a small bouquet.  I finally landed upon an antique vase that is actually Kevin's mothers.  AND THEN I couldn't find the ribbon that I would have sworn that I brought home from work.  I actually said, aloud, to myself "This is NOT WORTH spinning out over."  I used a simple red ribbon and moved on with my life.  Crisis averted.

The giant Macy's bag on the floor is my father-in-law's present to my mother-in-law. It's a knife set.  I'm not even asking at this point.  (she doesn't eat, she doesn't cook anymore...)  Add that to the to-do list.

If you snoop, you'll see take-out chinese food on the table.  

What you can't see is the grocery bags on the other counter and the groceries still waiting to be put away.  

Then we wander down the hall to Santa's Seventh Circle of Hell

Unfinished Christmas cards to do.  Yep, still.

Gifts to wrap

Decorations stuck in decorating purgatory. Yep, still

Bloggity to write, which made me remember to pay two bills. And because I have excellent time management skills.

Stuttery handwriting and capitalization courtesy of low-on-the-spectrum dyslexia

This is today's list.  The top part is what I accomplished when I went back into town.

The middle is what didn't get accomplished while in town.  I walked into the department store, did two things, then my brain went all "NOPE" and I left without finishing.  Too many people, I hadn't eaten (I make such excellent choices) and I'd forgotten my headphones.

The bottom part of the list is to do either tomorrow or Monday.  Or both.

Right now, we are waiting for Kevin's mom to decide if she wants to go out to dinner for their anniversary.  Yep, you read that right. Out to dinner.  The person who no longer eats wants to go out to dinner.  After going shopping today.  I just can't even with this so we'll move on.

Two fun things today:

I went to the Hallmark store today to get two cards and gift for a coworker.  I brought home this guy:

He was on the shelf behind me when I was choosing cards.  He politely asked me if he could come home with me.  Of course, I said yes. No one tells Snoopy no.  The cashier decided that he looked "Christmas-y" and gave me 20% off.  Santa comes in all shapes, sizes, and settings.

Next, I walked downtown (which is lovely.  Actual sidewalks and everything! No canned muzak or fluorescent lighting)  to a legit record store.  You open the door and are transported back to the late 1970's immediately.  the smell, the old shag carpet, the record racks, 8-track cassettes, memories represented in album covers.  My mind was a little blown with sensory overload.

And they had two cats: Hemingway, who is grey with green eyes and polydactyl and Kennedy, giant sleeping orange fluff ensconsed on a giant cat bed on the counter.  I told Kevin that we're going back just for the experience.

This downtown experience was probably the reason that I had such a visceral reaction to the department store. It was scene from a Hallmark Movie to scene from a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  To be fair though, who goes Christmas shopping on the last Saturday before Christmas.  I know, EVERYONE.

Kevin went shopping tonight with his best friend. They went to a MALL.  I know, right? Those still exist!  He said that it was eerily quiet for being days from Christmas.  Meanwhile, I'm hitting "add to cart" on the amazon like my life depends on it.  

I had the realization about 9:00 that I needed to choose my battles.  Thus the last second online ordering.  I am also doing last minute cards while high on the inhaler, significantly upping the difficulty level.  Shaking hands make for interesting card signing and addressing.

NEXT DAY:

I made one more trip into town today, did some non-Christmas errands and finished shopping.  I think.  We'll see.  I make no promises.  AND, and, AND this all hinges on the packages arriving as scheduled.

Because Kevin went shopping, he had to wrap my gifts tonight.  He has the guile of a small child. I have a guess of what one gift is because he left it in his shop AND THEN had me come into the shop to help with the racecar.  And while I'm busy sounding ungrateful, he chose his mom's ugly wrapping paper. #whatthehellkevin  #tealisnotaChristmascolor  #neitherismauve

What remains, you ask?  Cards for his staff have to be done tonight. Wrapping what I can wrap. Picking up two more photos for a collage frame present, and waiting.  

Update:

It's now a full 24 hours later.  How does all of this *waving of my arms* feel WORSE?  HOW?

So far everything but one book has arrived.  Kevin's presents were delivered while he wasn't home so that's a relief.  One, however, is an odd box-shaped box that was a @#%# to wrap.  I actually came into my office just now to get the labels and here I sit, writing.

Cards are in the mail and hand-delivered to staff. So that's done.  

Presents are all purchased and half are wrapped.  

I just realized that two photos I had ordered didn't get printed.  I'm certain it's an error on my behalf.  Now I'm measuring how much I want to run to town tomorrow to pick them up.  My family has a no gifts for grown-ups policy.  However, I was going to frame the engagement photo that I posted here a few months ago for the couple and my mom.  Hmmm.  

I worked all day today and finally left a few minutes early because it was at the point of starting a project and leaving it undone or just leaving.  Of course I chose leaving, because: adult.  This allowed me to do some last errands and be done. Or so I thought until a few minutes ago.

I am posting this because I need to have ONE THING finished today.  If you need me, I might just go sit in my car somewhere and drink coffee.