It Ain't Over ...

This was by far one of the busiest Christmas seasons in recent memory. I'm sure -- scratch that, I know -- we've had busier holidays when Don was a priest, officiating two Christmas Eve services (including the old tried-and-true midnight service for those 5 die-hards in the congregation who had been doing that "for generations") followed by a Christmas morning service for the other 5 die-hards (who had been doing that "for generations"). Throw in a few parties, two exhausted children, and a frantic loading up of the car so we could zip home to NJ immediately following the Christmas Day service, throwing a be-robed Don into the car where he would promptly sleep for the two-hour drive in a desperate effort to recuperate from this "most wonderful time of the year" ... yes, fond -- if not frantic -- memories of Christmases Past ...

OK, so this had been the busiest Christmas in the past three years since we've been here in NJ, with no major church responsibilities and no robes and no die-hards to contend with. Just family and friends. Aaahhhh ... busy, yes, but relaxing and just plain old fun! But it's not over yet. I've had the weekend to recuperate a bit, sleeping as much as I possibly can (I'm also battling a cold which refuses to vacate the premises) and slowly trying to get my little house back to normal.

Tonight my oldest friend on the planet is coming over with her husband for a cozy, relaxing evening of laughter and catching up. She has been living in Iowa for the past ... well, too many years, but Christmas is our main get-together time. In years past we had frequented our local diner for breakfast, but now with Don actually working ... at a real job ... we have had to come up with other ways of getting together. But it's not where you are, it's who you're with ... We're all looking forward to our annual reunion tonight.

This weekend my in-laws are supposed to come up for a visit, bringing in the New Year together as well as opening up some belated Christmas gifts. Yet with some kind of snow storm on the way, I have a feeling this gathering will be postponed. We certainly don't want them driving in the snow, nor do we want to tackle the same feat and reverse the plans by traveling down there. Looks like we might all be making alternative plans -- my parents are planning on traveling to the Poconos this weekend, but with snow on the way I doubt that will happen. "Flexible" has indeed become my middle name.

Today is a day full of much-needed errands and much-needed cleaning. Procrastination doesn't really have a place on my to-do list so I'd better get moving. And yet somehow I feel as if I'm still on some kind of vacation ... I just wish my kids understood that a little bit better.