Beer is the cure
Saturday is normally my "social day" and yesterday certainly turned out that way! It all started when I stayed up late on Friday night, desperately trying to finish "See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit." Earlier I'd barely started on it, realized what a helpful book it might be, and had tried to renew it from the library. But alas, someone else with aspirations to writing Chick Lit had requested the book, so no renewals allowed. I stayed up until almost 3:00 AM, but got less than halfway through. Taking notes on it was making it a slower read than a normal book.
Inspired to finish it, I got up early, was happily snuggled into the cornor of the couch reading, wrapped up in blankets and waiting for the coffee to get done when the phone rang. It was only 8-something in the morning. Only two people would call me that early on a Saturday, either my Mom or SLA, and I had plans with both of them later in the day. I leaped out of the blankets and grabbed the phone. It may have been my expectations or simply that I was still tired and lacked coffee, but it took a couple of seconds for me to realize who was on the other end. At you may have guessed, it was neither Mom nor SLA.
It was Amanda, of my pair of friends Anton and Amanda. I love them dearly but would have not picked up the phone (because it was so early, and I was occupied) if I had realized. This is precisely WHY it would be a bad idea for people in my real life to read my blog! I already had plans with Mom during the day and with SLA and the gang for "girl's night out" plus a couple of errands thrown in. Amanda wanted to exchange gifts, and here's a confession--I wasn't ready yet. In my defense I'll going to throw some numbers at you for Christmas 2006:
Number of gifts I selected, bought, wrapped and gave = 74
Number of people I had to give gifts to = 27
Those numbers are fewer than last year, but still, I'm a little worn out by now trying to get the cool gift for each person! So, as much as I love A & A, I WAS NOT READY for the gift exchange and should have backed out for another time. But I was caught off guard and actually agreed to meet them up at the mall in 45 minutes. I frantically tried to get enough stuff together to give them.
I'd bought an interesting "household saint" set with painted plastic figurines for the saint of TV, etc. with a book for them. I knew they'd like that, but it wasn't enough. So one of my brand new unused Bath and Body lotions got sacrified, and a couple of other (brand new, of course) things. Then I had to find the tape, scissors, wrapping paper, bows and tags that I had quickly ditched into who-knows-where when I had to suddenly clean up the messy disaster in the living room. Guess I can use having the flu as another excuse, but I'd not yet gone back to put those things away in their proper places.
Oh it was a bad 15 minutes or so of cursing myself for my stupidity and frantically running around. Then I realized I still needed to shower, gather up my library books (as I'd have to drop them off when I was done with the gift exchange) and get stuff ready for Mom, as she'd be the next stop after the library. The active part of my day was starting far sooner than I'd planned! With more cursing and running around, I finally got out the door with my hair still wet.
Well, the breakfast get-together was great. It was at an all-you-can-eat buffet which had really tasty red jello cubes and ice water (ha ha!) they loved my gifts, and we had a fun time. Then it was to the library to sadly return the only half-read book for someone else to take out, then on to my Mom's for the rest of the day.
Girl's night out started at 7 PM and yes, I still had to wrap some gifts for that too, but at least I'd found all the supplies needed earlier. We wore Santa hats, and the other people in the bar kept asking us if we'd gotten them something too. We had a long center table piled high with gifts, we ate, drank, opened, and had a blast! I actually ate an entire meal and drank beer without getting sick again. I think beer is the cure! I feel good as new today. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend!
Inspired to finish it, I got up early, was happily snuggled into the cornor of the couch reading, wrapped up in blankets and waiting for the coffee to get done when the phone rang. It was only 8-something in the morning. Only two people would call me that early on a Saturday, either my Mom or SLA, and I had plans with both of them later in the day. I leaped out of the blankets and grabbed the phone. It may have been my expectations or simply that I was still tired and lacked coffee, but it took a couple of seconds for me to realize who was on the other end. At you may have guessed, it was neither Mom nor SLA.
It was Amanda, of my pair of friends Anton and Amanda. I love them dearly but would have not picked up the phone (because it was so early, and I was occupied) if I had realized. This is precisely WHY it would be a bad idea for people in my real life to read my blog! I already had plans with Mom during the day and with SLA and the gang for "girl's night out" plus a couple of errands thrown in. Amanda wanted to exchange gifts, and here's a confession--I wasn't ready yet. In my defense I'll going to throw some numbers at you for Christmas 2006:
Number of gifts I selected, bought, wrapped and gave = 74
Number of people I had to give gifts to = 27
Those numbers are fewer than last year, but still, I'm a little worn out by now trying to get the cool gift for each person! So, as much as I love A & A, I WAS NOT READY for the gift exchange and should have backed out for another time. But I was caught off guard and actually agreed to meet them up at the mall in 45 minutes. I frantically tried to get enough stuff together to give them.
I'd bought an interesting "household saint" set with painted plastic figurines for the saint of TV, etc. with a book for them. I knew they'd like that, but it wasn't enough. So one of my brand new unused Bath and Body lotions got sacrified, and a couple of other (brand new, of course) things. Then I had to find the tape, scissors, wrapping paper, bows and tags that I had quickly ditched into who-knows-where when I had to suddenly clean up the messy disaster in the living room. Guess I can use having the flu as another excuse, but I'd not yet gone back to put those things away in their proper places.
Oh it was a bad 15 minutes or so of cursing myself for my stupidity and frantically running around. Then I realized I still needed to shower, gather up my library books (as I'd have to drop them off when I was done with the gift exchange) and get stuff ready for Mom, as she'd be the next stop after the library. The active part of my day was starting far sooner than I'd planned! With more cursing and running around, I finally got out the door with my hair still wet.
Well, the breakfast get-together was great. It was at an all-you-can-eat buffet which had really tasty red jello cubes and ice water (ha ha!) they loved my gifts, and we had a fun time. Then it was to the library to sadly return the only half-read book for someone else to take out, then on to my Mom's for the rest of the day.
Girl's night out started at 7 PM and yes, I still had to wrap some gifts for that too, but at least I'd found all the supplies needed earlier. We wore Santa hats, and the other people in the bar kept asking us if we'd gotten them something too. We had a long center table piled high with gifts, we ate, drank, opened, and had a blast! I actually ate an entire meal and drank beer without getting sick again. I think beer is the cure! I feel good as new today. Hope you have a great rest of your weekend!
12 Comments:
Well I may just have to try your beer cure on my cold. Sounds like you had a hectic but fun Saturday. Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
WOW that is quite a day! I hope that you have managed to recover today
You are SO GENEROUS! But it would be very stressful for me if I had to buy gifts for that many people. Yikes!!
Thank god you are well again! Oh my you sound like me, getting up early just to finish a certain fab book :o)
Beer...the miracle drink. Works for me! :)
And get caller ID...it's a wonderful thing! :)
I'd be in the poorhouse with that many people to buy for.
I can't believe you buy for that many people! Oh my word! I would be totally broke by now if I were you.
Also, you know the old saying "stick to beer and you're ok!" I love by that motto myself.
Beer is really a cure all!! I'm with Stacy, it might be time for caller ID.
Wow! That's a lot of wrapping alright!! I choose to give gifts during the holidays to my Mother and Aunt and that's it. They are the Matriarchs of my family. I relate so well to your note taking and reading slow. Hope you get a lot out of the book and stay warm. lol!!
I may need some beer, pass some this way.
Uh, please.
Let's keep an eye on that beer intake there...it could become a fun habit.
May explain why I hardly ever feel any pain, must be the beer lol
74 gifts to wrap i would hvae started wrapping in june
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