About when the holidays are really over

Religously, anyway, it was yesterday: Epiphany.
Decorating-wise, anyway, it was last Wednesday, when I took the needle-dropping tree down for another year, and it lays sadly on our patio, compost waiting to happen.
Fun-wise, last Tuesday, with our all-day buffet and football-watching marathon.
Workwise, the holidays will officially be over Thursday.
Why? Because this will be the first week in three that I've had to work an entire week. Five days. In a row.
Last week, thought it was back-to-work-time, was an absolutely wonderful, holiday-shortened, abbreviated, done-none-too-soon three-day week. I loved it.
Three days this week takes me up to Wednesday. So Thursday takes me into ... a normal, regular, five-day week. Five. Days. Of. Getting. Up. Early.
So Thursday will be it. Holidays, over.
And even worse: In a fit of bad planning and end-of-the-year procrastination, I put off all my yearly checkup-type appointments until ... January. Starting this week, and going into next. Every part of my body scheduled to be prodded, poked, examined, and judged healthy or not. (Well, thank goodness, except my mouth, cause I did go to the dentist on time, and I think I get to wait 'til February on that particular body part.)
Well, the thought of getting up five days in a row is exhausting me, so I'm going. To bed.
How about you? Are your holidays so over?

About being worse than a baby

Traveling with babies is tricky, whether you're going by plane or car. Their sleeping schedules get all screwed up, their eating gets all discombobulated, and once you get back home, it takes a couple days to get back to normal.

I'm just like a baby.

So, four days spent visiting family, away from home responsibilities and habits. That's good.

Sleeping in four days straight--that has proved to be a very bad mistake. Being lazy, reading the paper and watching morning news and sipping tea for an hour or so after getting up--very bad idea. Eating too much Thanksgiving dinner, dining out at interesting places, wine-tasting--good idea, but very bad to one's fitness regime.

A baby gets back to normal easier than me!

When we left Indiana on Wednesday evening, it was just absolutely pouring rain. The holiday turned out good, through, if chilly, at least dry. (Good shopping weather! Good winery visiting weather!)

This morning, back to a cold, biting, windy rain. And I had to haul my behind out of bed, get ready, contemplate the day, and actually go out into it.

Eeeuuuwwww.

Well, I made it, and now I'm wondering how I'm going to get my healthy diet intentions back on track (but that fresh lake perch sandwich with sweet potato fries was so good, even if it did break my "no fried foods" rule!) while at the same time getting some exercise in (Hey, we walked all around the mall! And today I had to get up so early I'm exhausted!) and actually contemplate cooking half-way healthy food after all the eating out (goodness, I love Mexican food).

This just seems like too much for a Monday.

Here's the plan: I'll play some mind games, convince myself it's, like, a Thursday, pretend I slept in, sleep-walk (hey! it's walking!) through the day, and fix something not fried for dinner--not frying being healthy enough for today. I think.

After all, Scarlett, tomorrow is another day.

Well, how about you? Are you a big baby about your schedule?

About Thanksgiving

Because it is: I wake up in my parent's house and am thankful we have another Thanksgiving together.
Soon we will go to my sister's, and I am thankful that she and the rest of our family will be there to eat together another time.
Later, I'll go down to my sister-in-law's, and try to eat some more (and succeed, I'm sure).
We'll call the family who are not with us, and compare menus and traveling stories and the states of our stomachs.
The TV will be on and football will be the focus, and if the Colts win, that's one more thing to be thankful for.
And if the temperature keeps dropping and it starts snowing, we'll be thankful that last night we drive in driving rain and not driving snow.
Tomorrow we'll take it easy but take in some shopping, and be thankful we can pick out presents we know the recipients want or need or will appreciate.
I'll enjoy my trip, and be happy I was here, but it will be good to go home too.
You can argue six ways to Sunday about the first Thanksgiving, but here's something that's written in history: Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation:
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

Abraham Lincoln

How about you? What's on your menu, and what are you thankful for?

About holiday weeks

Holidays always stretch beyond their calendar boundaries--for me, anyway. Holidays usually involve travel for us, so that adds another layer of preparation and planning.

And some holiday weeks sneak up on me sneakier than others.

This Thanksgiving has, for sure. I think because I was sick for the first week and a half of November, and I was so busy feeling sick and tired and "is it time to take my medicine?-ish" that the fact that Thanksgiving was coming didn't enter my stuffy brain. I was busy just trying to croak out words.

And as soon as I got better, we had our trip to IKEA that I'd been looking forward to for months, then the week after that, we had a move to help with.

And suddenly, wow!, it's Thanksgiving week! Where AM I?

If I had to cook, I'd be in a real mess, but thank goodness, even if I have that extra layer of packing and driving for three hours, I lose the meal planning/shopping/cooking/entertaining layer. And God knows I pack and drive (or ride) better than I cook!

With my sister all over the meal planning (most of it being catered), I'm concentrating on planning my fashion (mostly jeans) packing (tonight) and checking out where people want to shop on Friday (Crocker Park? Avon? Sandusky?).

So I'm not complaining. I'm just trying to catch my head up to the fact that Thanksgiving week is really here, whether I'm ready or not. Turkeys stop for no woman, you know.

Well, how about you? Are you ready for Thursday?

About surviving Thanksgiving

As someone who dieted through two Thanksgiving (and ended up 60 pounds lighter, eventually) this article caught my eye, as I contemplated making it through another big meal without exploding!

The 942-calorie Thanksgiving dinner - TODAY Holiday Guide - MSNBC.com: "Don't deny yourself during the holidays, just make smart food choices"

This article has some good advice. Let me add a some from my own experience!

Most important! Don't eat anything you don't really love. If you don't really love turkey, but do love sweet potatoes, skip the turkey! Eat the potatoes!

Choose to eat those things you don't get all the time but really enjoy. How often we do get stuffing?

For example, I found I could skip the green bean casserole and never miss it, but I couldn't bear to think of not eating my mom's mashed potatoes and special turkey gravy.

I also skipped any vegetable that had been casseroled or sauced out of recognition (cheesy broccoli, creamed corn), but let myself enjoy a little ranch dip on the fresh veggies.

My best hint for pie: have some...but don't eat the crust! The crust is where more of the calories are (hello, lard!). That way, I could eat both a slice pumpkin and one of apple and not feel too guilty. I don't get pie everyday!

Since I love white meat, it wasn't hard to make that choice. And the hint in this article about using a tablespoon to measure out gravy is a good one.

I do love stuffing, but found it only takes about half as much as it did once upon a time to make me feel satisfied. Which leads to another hint: For your first serving of stuff, take small portions, and enjoy every bit. Try something new, if it's offered.

Then, if you have eaten slowly and still find you're craving something, go ahead with a small second serving. Hey, it's Thanksgiving!

I make it a game with myself--and the best thing is, I don't have that "I'm about to burst" feeling of old Thanksgivings. I really enjoy the meal.

If weather permits, we usually take a walk afterward, too.

And wine is always our beverage of choice!

Happy Thanksgiving!

About de-decorating

I blogged previously on CSI--Christmas Scene Investigation--and the pitfalls of too-early Christmas decoration.

And I've also contemplated the exuberance with which some people now decorate for Halloween. Whereas once upon a time, Halloween decorations consisted of a couple pumpkins on your porch and a cornstalk or two leaned up against your light post, we now see people with full-blown day-of-the-dead displays in/on their house and yards.

My own Halloween decorations have expanded to a few orange lights (hey, they make the yard brighter for those trick or treaters), a few decorative banners and plagues (I only buy them once they're marked down) and, of course, pumpkins.

One strict rule: Once Halloween is over, it's over. It doesn't linger into the next week. Or even the next day.

All the decorations come down the day after, and not one orange light is lit after 11 p.m. Halloween night.

I feel this way about other people's decorations too--I just don't want to see your fake spider webs, tombstones, ghosts, or ghouls-in-coffins one second more than I have to.

Even though I was sick yesterday, I dragged myself outside to take down the now-passe bunch of orange stuff.

We're not as strict about the after-Christmas de-decoration as we are about the pre-Christmas violations. Twelve days of Christmas and all that, plus, as it can get quite frigid at that time of year, it's easy to forgive. Who wants to be taking down icicle lights when it's zero outside? (Just don't light them up!)

But 12:01 a.m. November 1? Halloween is so over.

And thank goodness, no one has yet to come up with over-the-top Thanksgiving decorations.

Although if I should ever find a blow-up turkey character for my yard ... on sale...?

Hey, how 'bout you? Your yard is not still stylin' for Halloween, is it?

About Halloween 'pookiness

Last night I spent a few minutes decorating the house and yard for Halloween. And that included stringing orange lights (some with pumpkin heads) on the front bushes.
I remember back in the day when decorating for Halloween meant buying a couple pumpkins and carving them up, and maybe leaning a few cornstalks on your lamp post or by your front door.
Done.
But a few years ago, stores started to offer more and more and more Halloween decorations and in my consumerism I just had to have a few. And they've piled up.
So it's a Halloween tree in the bay window, and a ceramic pumpkin on the mantle, down the way from a grapevine pumpkin.There's colorful ceramic grinning pumpkin faces on bookshelves and windowsills, and a ghost candle-holder in the kitchen. Oh and the pumpkin that lights up, also in the bay window.
Outside, and I only do this because I have so many little kids in my life, are the lighted bushes, the blow-up pumpkin in the rocking chair, and the "Happy Halloween" metal sculpture hanging on the porch column.
I know, too much.
Last night, most of the guys were over for the afternoon and for dinner. Matt noticed that Walgreens had a Burger King mask on sale, which Julian wants to be for Halloween. So he went over to get one.
He put it on before he came walking in. Taylor, age 2, looked up and waved a little.
Then she got a better look, her face froze, and she FREAKED.
Of course Matt ripped the mask off and let her see it was him, but man she was shaken. She didn't want anyone to hold her but him for awhile.
"TOO 'POOKY!" she cried.
Later, Caroline (4) wanted to put it on, and all Taylor had to do was get another look at it and she started freaking again.
Needless to say, The King got put away fast and we are not sure how she's going to react when Julian puts it on.
Well, how about you? What's freakin' you out?

About stylin' your house

We took a walk the other night and to amuse ourselves ranked our neighbors' efforts -- or lack of them -- at fall decoration.
Now, our criteria had to be adjusted, because we have not had a frost, which means that some summer flowers are still blooming beautifully. So some impatiens, or petunias, or marigolds, for example, have not been replaced with any fall flowers.
So we had to forgive a yard that still had a mass of pink and white impatiens screaming "SUMMER!" when a next-door neighbor had more October-appropriate mums in place.
Please note, it is still not appropriate for any Christmas decorations to be seen. Absolutely none in October. Beginning in November, they may be put in place, but not lighted,until Thanksgiving week.
October is reserved for fall themes and of course Halloween.
So a house that had a few tastefully placed mum in yellow, brown, burgundy or white, with a grape-vine wreath intertwined with fall flowers an a subdued orange bow--A.
Another with cornstalks twined to the lamp post, some pumpkins dotting the walks, and a scarecrow "welcoming" visitors, also A.
Now, a house with orange twinkle lights on every bush, flashing bat neon decorations in the windows, spider webs on any bush that doesn't have lights, a blow-up Frankenstein, and more pumpkins in the yard than falling leaves: over the top, but still an A. Kids love it.
But a house with dead geraniums, or plastic flowers in pots, a faded 4th of July ribbon on the porch, and untrimmed bushes: F!
Oh yes, it was a lovely walk, and we contemplated leaving little post-it notes letting people know their rankings.
But that would have intruded on their yards' feng shui.
Well, how about you? How's your yard rank in the fall decoration competition? Any blow-up toys in YOUR yard?

About what CSI means to me

We may be the only family in America that doesn't watch any of the CSI: Whatever shows, but that doesn't mean we don't conduct our own version of CSI.
Here in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, we conduct CSI: Christmas Scene Investigation.
Yes, we few are are specially trained, ever-vigilant detectives of the worst type of crime of all: inappropriate, out-of-season Christmas decorations, indoors or out.
You know the offenders--and I'm not just talking obvious stuff, like the trailer trash leaving their icicle lights up all year long.
It's the lady next door who leaves her artificial Christmas tree with the doggie decorations up all year long ... cos she wuv her wittle doggie so much....
It's the people who are so danged efficient in their preparations--and I know more than one--and who have so dang much stuff, they feel they have to start early to get it all done. Starting early MIGHT be okay ... IF you don't light it until a less offensive date. But once someone has done all that work, how many can resist showing off their handiwork?
Of course, violations are rampant on a commercial level! What self-respecting capitalist can resist shoving that Halloween merchandise over JUST A LITTLE for those Christmas villages, those blow-up snowmen? And who among us hasn't been offended by even ever-so-tastefully decorated trees--such as I saw in Von Maur just last Friday night--while I was wearing SHORTS? That called for a code red, level ten citation!
What is the CSI violation criteria? In the loosest interpretations, November 1 is the okay date for stores to start displaying merchandise. We who have worked in retail understand the need to prepare!
October one is a code yellow, seriously encroaching on Halloween territory.
Of course, Thanksgiving marks the official, no citations-ever-issued official launch of the season.
But anything in September or before -- that gets reported right to the Big Red Guy.
(You know who I mean. Red uniform. White trim. Disguised by a beard. Works one day a year. THAT guy in the Main Office.)
Of course, you know there are exceptions: Families who celebrate early/late for the sake of loved ones who are leaving/coming home from deployments. No problem with CSI in these cases.
Those stores who are established, all-year-round Christmas stores. For example, all of Frankenmuth, Michigan. And there's a store at Disney World. Ever-so-slight exemptions for gift shops who dedicate a portion of their stores for Christmas decorations--and there are a few who can do this tastefully. We let these slip by.
Also, just west of us on U.S. 30 is a company that makes those big outdoor light displays, such as communities might use in a Christmas lights display. They have a little hill they keep stuff on, and lighted up, all year 'round. We understand this type of commercial venture, and the need to let people see their product, and understand the necessary violation. Excused.
But the neighbor who lets his shrubbery remain lighted, on automatic lights, right through the end of January? COAL IN THE STOCKING FOR THEM!
The city that lets their candy canes remain on their lightposts through February? BUSTED.
The Wal-marts who start putting cheesy plastic Santas on the shelves in October? BOYCOTTED!
Come, join our CSI team. All it takes is an eagle eye for a stray white light, a flash of a red bow. Let Santa know when folks are taking advantage of his season.
So, what are you thinkin' about inappropriate holiday decorations? Will you join our team?