Christmas Past

Christmas is over. Seems like we spend half the year getting ready for it and then the one day just flies by. Hallmark starts with their ornament premier in July; other stores are in Christmas mode by September, and then - poof! - in 24 hours it's over. I've already started pulling the bins down from the attic so I can pack up the decorations; normally I would wait until closer to New Year's, but this having a job thing is really cramping my clean up schedule. See, my mom drilled it into me that you never carry over celebrations of the old year into the new - very bad luck she said. I think she was just tired of all the 'stuff' in her house and wanted to get it clean, but I'm not about to chance any more bad luck. It seems my luck might have begun to change just a bit, so far be it from me to screw things up now! I know it's just a superstitious thing she instilled in me, but when I think back about 10 years ago when I didn't have a chance to get everything down, and what happened the next year...well. I'm not chancing it again.




The cat got a cat tower for Christmas. It was on clearance at Costco, and I've never seen one that cheaply before, so I just did a minor splurge and got it for her. After I get the tree down, which is in the middle of the front window, and the cat tower goes in front of the window, I think she will like it better than she currently does. She likes to take naps in the top part of it, and she loves to look out the front window, so am hoping it becomes her new favorite place. We'll see....she pretty much has her own opinions about what she likes...and doesn't. Right now her 'favorite' place is on my bed - so much so she's created a divot in the mattress.

I got some nice things from family and friends for Christmas. There's always one thing that stands out, and this year that honor goes to my nephew and his girlfriend. They went in together and purchased me a...uh...um...certificate I guess you could call it, to set up a website for the book! I'm super excited about it, but have no earthly idea how to do it. (Crap. Saying that makes me feel so dang OLD.) After the new year, I will see what it involves and get it going. I'm thinking about finding someone to do some pencil sketches of the major characters and have those, along with brief descriptions, on the site. Any other suggestions anyone?

The new job is improving, although I seriously thought about quitting a couple of weeks ago. I've never quit a job in my life except to move to another state. Long story, but let's just say my knowledge was being wasted hand-addressing reminder cards 8 hours a day. My position has been clarified, and I've begun some training that's made a huge difference. I'm going to hang on for a while and see what happens.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, and your plans for New Year's include seeing the old year out and new year in with champagne and maybe some fireworks! Be sure and have some ready cash in your pocket - yet another old family superstition - when you walk back into your house for the first time of the new year, if you have cash in your pocket, you'll always have cash in your pocket for the next year. I've done it forever; have never been completely dead broke, never lost any house, almost always got bills paid (although sometimes there was some 'creative financing' involved) and lately have always managed to feed the cat (she has a medical condition and requires some expensive food...). Proof positive - it must work!