Let's get at it, 2024

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Went to bed at one.  Up at 4 and over to watch the baby at 5:15.  A parent didn't come home until 7 at night.  I swear he said hi to a little girl at the store and said Bluey when we were watching TV.  Nobody believes me.   

Two weeks to Christmas.  Tomorrow I wrap!  And nobody gets my time until I'm done.  Susan is still going on about her coat getting thrown out and Sandy is sending me weird texts plus phone calls.  I'm a little worried about her partying too much.  Something is going on with her.  We having a dinner this weekend so maybe I'll ask.

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Yeah that didn't work out.  Woke up late, string of texts and emails from the garden folks, all I wanted off my to do list.  Christmas party tonight and long ass meeting in the morning.  Looks like wrapping starts tomorrow afternoon.  Bag it is starting to look real good.  

The wrapping table is all set up.  There's no point in trying to wrap until it's been cat inspected.  Every inch of it needs to be sniffed, laid on and in the case of the ribbon, unrolled.  Terrapin has to chew on anything plastic, lord only knows why.  I dump the bag of used ribbon on the couch trying to distract the cats to that play area and a reminder to me, there's no couch napping until the wrapping is done.    The most important thing on the wrapping table is the two cups of Christmas M&M's.  One needs chocolate motivation.  

I have a couple of bags of stick on bows, rarely use them.  They squish, don't travel well and the cats rip them off the packages.  Plus they look cheap.  I use ribbon.  The kind with wire in it.  Makes a beautiful bow and you can fluff them up if they have been traveling or cat laid on.  You can make the really fancy bows with these but I've long since forgotten how to do that.  It's expensive though.  I like tulle ribbon.  If you've wrapped your gift while at Bed, Bath and Beyond, it's the purple stuff.  Makes a nice, non stiff, fluffy bow and it's cheap.  Curling ribbon is also cheap and you can fancy all those curls up with wire ribbon worked in or some kind of Christmas greenery or ornament.  The double wrap around the gift and then spread out, classes it up.

No cheap paper.  You want the heavy shit and you turn those edges under.  Bags get tissue.  I know it's cheating but bags are quick.  Tie some of the curling ribbon on it or something else dangling off the handles.  There's a trick where you can attach the handles to the other side and then pull to close and tie a bow with the handles.  It's too hard to explain.  I'm sure there's a youtube video out there.  But it's quick and easy for people to open.

A Christmas gift should be too pretty to open.  Long after they've forgotten what you got them, they remember how pretty the package was.  And you know, for those family members who just can't resist opening that package early and think they can do it and rewrap it, not happening.    And for those who don't care that they get busted sneaking into their gifts early, there's duct tape in red and green.    

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Well, something to aspire to.     They look nice but I would open them.  Done 26 so far.  Wrap a gift, do something else and come back to it.  Separate out the birthday gifts from the Christmas ones.  I'm worried now what Terrapin is going to do to the gifts under the tree.  I feel like the cats are waiting for me to go to bed.   

Exorcism Susan.  Now she is having electrical issues.  I do have to say, where I would live with a problem, Susan gets right on it.  Took her two years of living free with her parents to pay off her credit card bills but things were fixed.

Sandy and I are doing a friend's giving tomorrow.  If it quits raining we will walk the subdivision and look at the lights.  She's been quiet since Monday and sounded off her game today.  Let's just play around in the kitchen and walk the streets tomorrow.  I'm in the mood.   

Shit, first gift down.  Simone didn't even wait for me to go to bed.  My fault, I didn't leave her a space to lay under the tree.  I'm going to throw a blanket over those.  Once I'm done wrapping they can go in their travel boxes.  I'm not having anybody come here for Christmas.  I'm going there, 3 places.  I only have to bring food to one.

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   I've destroyed the house.  Not your Hallmark Christmas scene.  The cats just think this is all this most interesting thing ever.  Terrapin has to be right at my finger tips.  Loading up the washing machine and look over, she's sitting in it.   
 Not even going to try to mist the seedlings till she takes her nap.  Lily is waiting in the middle of the wrapping table.  Simone is cool with the blankets covering the gifts.  Made herself a nice snuggle spot under the tree lights.  If I were a cat I'd be right there too.

Deadheads!  Check in on the yule log chat.  Gummies and food.     A little polka tune playing to get you moving.  I can never remember the name of that song.

Perfect day.  It's pouring outside and cosy in the house.  I'm getting ready to mess up the kitchen.  It all cleans up.  I live here, along with three cats and a bunch of plants.  Taking our time today.  I've got coffee, cigarettes and chocolate.  I may never leave.

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Dang it, I only bumped that up to 34.  Three and a half people left to do.  My son is coming over to wrap the gifts for his ex from the kids.  I taught him well.  I'll let him do a few but don't mess up my table.   

Quick trip to the grocery store for cheese.  Ran into Santa and Mrs. Clause.     I'm a miser when it comes to taking money out of savings.  I get paid, I pay the bills, stash a little away and live on the rest till the next payday.  Payday is coming up and you know I'm running short but I need cheese for this dish.  Okay, I've got the $5 cash for my bartender's tip and a ten dollar scratcher in my purse to cash in.  Nope on the scratcher, their machine is down.  Not giving up my tip money, if I have to take it out of checking, I'll have to dip into savings, fuck!  But I get out of there with $1.50 left in my checking.     I'm going to make it to payday. 

Almost got through the whole day without space and drums.  Time to kill the yule log and head over to Sandy's.  Told her my son was coming.  She's adding more food.     And she's been to the dispensary so she's looking forward to a smoking buddy.   

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43 and two people left.  I finished off two rolls of wrapping paper I've been looking at for years.     I am no where close to running out of paper or ribbon.   

Did you know they make butter in the shape of a turkey?  Got myself a little ass.     I'm still stuffed.  We had way more food then we needed.  Sent my son home with a bunch of leftovers. except the cheesy potatoes, those are mine!  Said the place he thought he had the job turned him down because of his criminal record.  Said he explained it was a mental health issue and he had been sober five years.  Er, probably shouldn't have called it a mental health issue.  That scares people.  Better to say you were a drunk.     He didn't know what to say when Sandy poured him a glass of wine.  Didn't give him a chance to turn it down, I interjected.  He thanked me for that.  I understand, you were just downstairs token.  Sandy will smoke you under the table.     She sent him home with her roach stash.  Put of walking the neighborhood until Monday when it's not raining and she doesn't like the football team playing.

I'm going to shutdown the wrapping for the evening.  I think I'll double wrap some of these books for the baby.  He's two, doesn't know how to unwrap and would rather play in the mess.  My daughter got exposed to Covid.  They had a chili cook off at her place tonight.  We're all going to get the gift that keeps on giving for Christmas.   

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I'm taking a break at 50, my back is shot.  I was guessing 60 gifts.  There's 72.     Twenty of them are for my daughter.  If I group them, I can get it down to 10 but I still have to wrap everyone before sticking them into a bag together.  You know girls, they want a lot of little shit.  There's the makeup bag, household bag, Easter bag (got all that at 70 percent off), the summer bag and office bag.  Then there's shit I wanted to buy her and she had her own  list.  I'm kind of feeling like she needs to sneak behind the tree and open some of these.  The others didn't get that much shit.     Then again, I just Amazon the baby whatever I want and that one little package I got for the daddy probably should have been his only gift but I can't just give him one.  Men are so easy to buy for.

Anyway, I've got a week and a half to go.  Time to wrap.  The cats are enjoying the mess.  The son still needs to come over and wrap up some stuff.  I'm sick of the Grateful Dead yule log.     I should have got Dizzy's Christmas cd for myself.

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Okay, it's a little weird but it works.  Put the shower rod in a 90 gallon trash bag.  Used plastic wrap around it, would have been better if it was red, and a big bow.  There ya go.  We can use the bag later to collect the Christmas trash!

I'm done wrapping, yay.     The mess is reasonably cleaned up.  I still have 3 gifts coming in and the stockings yet to do.  It's birthday week, get some of these gifts out of here.  Think we are going to take in the old town celebration instead of going into St Louis for the Christmas stuff down there.  Susan spent all weekend watching Hallmark Christmas movies.   

Hope everyone has a great holiday!   

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I get a text from Amy, I should open my Christmas gift because it's Christmas related.  Cool, I was just standing in the kitchen wondering what shirt I was going to wear to pinball tonight.  Perfect timing!  I'm probably going to get my ass kicked by a kid who still believes in Santa Claus.     I hope he wins a trophy, doesn't mean anything to me but it does to him.  He has a tendency to get pissed off and tilt the machine when he doesn't make his shot.  His dad taught him that.  The same guy who hits on all the women when his wife doesn't show up.  My son is coming with me tonight as my guest.  Free food and drinks, all machines on free play.  He's really looking forward to it.  We haven't been out to the bar to play games since his 16th birthday.

Sandy and I walked the streets last  night to look at the lights.  I hobbled a little.     Wrapping so many gifts for so long really trashed my backside.  I have got to get back to yoga classes.

Stockings tonight.  I love doing the stockings, they are so much fun.  I'm doing the party favors for mom's party too.  This year they are getting bags of candy.  We're still doing the family game of 3 rounds of pick a scratcher.  Love that game! 

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Grateful Dead yule log chat is discussing the acid experiments the CIA did that the band played the parties for.  See, it's educational.   

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God yes did I suck.     If I wasn't draining down the middle, I was going down the side.  Warm up game, I got a replay and didn't make a come back until the last 2 balls.  My son really enjoyed playing though and would like to join league.  Unfortunately, the owner announced he had sold the place and no one is sure if the pinball room will continue to be there. 

Sure, lost my best friend and my feral cat, why not my pinball league?  And the three replacements are nothing but downers.  Not really exorcism material but definitely headed in the wrong direction.  So missing joy in my life.  I'm okay, I'm on the happy side just not into joy.

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I got the baby's cold.  He's new, he doesn't have an immune system built up.  I'm old, retired and try to stay the fuck away from people, my immune system is not building up any resistance.

Starve a fever, feed a cold.  Guess that's what I was thinking when I went grocery shopping.  Everything looked good.  Cheesecake at half price, get into my cart!  That looks warming, I'll just take that.  I need some coke too, always straightens me up but somehow, either I left it on the counter or the lady loading up next to me grabbed it.  I don't know who this crazy woman was who seemed to be moving around the store with me.  She was constantly in my way.  I get up to check out and she comes up behind me.  I'm unloading my cart and she's sticking her stuff right behind me.  Hey lady, my cart is still full.  I'm checking out and she has placed a empty cart behind me so when I turn to leave I bump into it.

The trip to the store was for the stockings I'm filling for the one diabetic and one pre diabetic in my group.  Think I did okay with nuts and beef sticks for them.  I have no idea what pepita nuts are.  Google is your friend.  They are shell-less pumpkin seeds.  I got those unsalted as recommended by google but now that I know what they are, probably should have did the salt.  Personally, I could live off of trail mix and beef jerky/sticks.  That's a meal for me.  Chocolate is something I eat because it's handy.

I don't have to be any where until tomorrow night.  I'm going into couch and book mode.  Read a little, doze off and repeat.  Somewhere in there I'll stuff some stockings.  My last Christmas gift is at a distribution center in the suburbs of Chicago.  Hopefully that's an Amazon distribution center.  Google is your friend, yes they do!  That will make it before Christmas.

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Speaking of google is your friend.

"The traditional orange with cloves decoration is called a pomander ball, and it's a holiday tradition that involves decorating oranges with cloves to make your home smell festive. In Victorian times, people would dry pomanders and use them throughout the year to scent their homes. They also believed that pomanders protected against negative energies, jealousy, envy, and the Evil Eye."

Nope doesn't help with cold prevention.  And no you wouldn't want to eat them.  Cloves have a numbing effect.  Might help if you have a sore throat.

[cineater]

I have a cold and I'm on drugs, cut me some slack.   

Do I get Sandy something or not?  We don't normally give each other gifts but she did buy me something for my birthday this year and I gave her a bunch of stuff from my sister's gambling booty and the hoarder house.  Like I need another person to buy for and don't want to make her feel bad if she didn't get me anything.  So, here's where the cold and pills come in, I do a little something.  Get the bottom of my Velveeta Cheese box and tape scratcher tickets all around it, some tissue paper, bag of candy in a snow man bag, a thing of foaming hand soap for the kitchen, another bag of candy covered with more scratchers, stick it in a extra large zip lock with a bow.  Possibly the weirdest gift I ever given somebody.     There's just something about that that says Sandy and me.  I wish I was getting that.     Probably should have just bagged it but I'm on drugs.

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Busy day in the neighborhood.  I don't get up till noon, look out and there's all kinds of shit going on.  Natalie is having a large dumpster delivered, Connie has the heating guy over, Jan is having stuff delivered to the yard and they are still working on two houses getting siding.  Bod's in the hospital but is coming home tomorrow on hospice.  I could keep sleeping.  5 more hours to get through the family birthday party and I'm hitting my bed.  I'd skip but I'm bringing the food.  They are getting Hawaiian pizza.  Don't care what they think, I'm sick and I'm buying.  

An hour before party time we find out the SIL probably has the flu and not a cold.  Pivot, party is at my house. 4, 6 foot tall people in my house, 3 shorties and a two year old.  It actually worked as long as everybody picked their spot and stayed there.     They actually liked the Hawaiian pizza, shit.  I doubt I get bed time tomorrow with the daddy sick and the mommy having her office Christmas party.  I'll probably get the flu for Christmas.  My daughter wanted to know why there was a dumpster at Natalie's.  I only look out the window, I don't investigate.   

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There's some conspiracy to keep Coke away from me!     I think it helps when I'm sick, the health pros say no, it can make things worse.  Please, wake up and watch the Woody Allen movie.  Anyway, I left the bottle of Coke on the counter at the grocery store.  My next opportunity only resulted in Pepsi but it seemed to be helping so I took the bottle with me to watch the baby this morning.  I'm feeling like shit so I forget it when I leave there.  Don't go back for it because Pepsi is a little too sweet for me, it has to be Coke.  I force myself to stop by the drug store on the way home and I'm done with this, so I buy two bottles.  Should be enough and I have one to travel with if I have too.

It's got to be close to room temperature Coke too.  It seems to me there are some spices my grandmother use to put in it.  Google is your friend.  Ginger, that makes sense, many medicinal uses.  And lemon, also medicinal uses, makes sense, she had a fruit grove.  Turns out the Japanese make a boiled concoction of this and promote it as a cold remedy.  I seem to remember her heating this on the stove, maybe with some cloves too but then again that might have just been to make the house smell good and it was an orange.     That was the California grandma.  The Arkansas grandmother owned a drug store.  Cough syrup with codeine.  That will fix you up too but not as good as a Coke. 

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Fuck, my last package got sent to the post office for delivery.  For some reason, it left Chicago and is on it's way to Kansas City.  Down here, not over there!  EAT the day after Christmas.  Normally that would be fine, he hasn't made Christmas in years but this year he's planning on being here.  Then again, he was going to be here for the baby's birthday and missed that so there's still a chance he'll be late.  Oh well, I'll just hang on to it for his birthday if it doesn't make it.  It's not like I don't go shopping for birthdays and next Christmas right away anyway.   

I'm not sure what is going on with Sandy.  She sent me a text last night at 2 of a recipe for cheesy garlic bread.  This is why you get fat when you try to quit smoking especially when you're using pot as a substitute.   

I wish I could save Susan from the Hallmark Christmas movies but she won't come over here while I have a cold.  I thought we'd watch Red One.  I know, The Rock, but the guy kicks ass instead of going after it.   

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Amazon is amazing.  Says delivery tonight by 8.  It's out with my mailman.  They've been know to be liars but only by a day or two so I'm pretty hopeful it will be here by Tuesday.

My plan to laz around the house all day has been thwarted, the coffee pot died.  Thank you for your service, worked your ass off.  Doesn't freak me out, one would think it would but I have a french press, thank you Lars, and Coke.  The Coke did the trick and my cold is on the way out.  About ready to get this party started.

[cineater]

Winter Solstice  The sun starts to make it's come back.  I like winter for it's quiet and crisp air.

Busiest shopping day of the year but I was in and out at Walmart with a new coffee pot under my arm.  Picked up a couple of blankets for the hospital blanket drive and dropped them off at my daughter's.  I am better.  My SIL says he's better.  Although my nephew is sick.  Can we just have everybody healthy in time to spend time with the 91 year old lady?

Gift showed up as I was typing the above.  Amazon must have caught onto what the post office was saying about making deliveries on time and got them inline.  Still, this time a year it's amazing all this stuff is making it as fast as it is.

[cineater]

I think this will be next year's Christmas card.