Summer days

Summer days
I wish everyday was a beach walk.

Wednesday 7 December 2011

Bronchitis and Ba humbug!!








On Remembrance Day here in Canada, I set off with three girlfriends and headed to Bangor, Maine. Shopping list, coupons, and optimism in hand I set out ready to prevail over the last minute Christmas rush. 

Enter cold and flu: On the car ride to Bangor, my throat was sore and a cough plagued my speech. I sat quietly eating a bagful of Halls. And I can only say that sitting for a 3 hour car ride eating nothing but Halls causes some horrible stomach pains. It began raining and when we started out at our first stop, my feet were wet, I was hacking and I wanted to sleep.

I don't remember much of the trip, except trying not to bawl while standing in a  45 minute line up at The Christmas Tree Store and not knowing exactly what I bought. I came home with bags, and threw them in the downstairs office, locked it up, climbed into bed and stayed that way for 2 weeks.

It is not an exaggeration to say that 4 weeks later I am finally feeling closer to normal. I have just recently continued my Christmas shopping and any mother knows that I am already behind. This week we have 4 fundraisers at school, a sock hop, dress rehearsals for Christmas plays (ie, the costume for your child had better be made, or bought by now!!) and a ballet recital.

The 44 Christmas cards I usually send out, are not yet written and I barely put up my Christmas tree.
Every year I am filled with joy at the Holiday season, baking, wrapping, decorating, Christmas carols. I am excited and happy. However, this year I feel panic stricken, sick to my stomach and exhausted.

To top it all off I am pretty sure that my ten year old peeked at her presents! and we all know what that means!! 
I just need to take a deep breath and try to enjoy because at this rate, people are getting presents stuffed in garbage bags and I will  be listening to SlipKnot instead of Bing Crosby.

and as I sign off, another set of lights on my Christmas tree has gone out...
Mistletoe Fruitcake..