It has been as if the weather has been asking us forgiveness during the long and mild fall. It was positively balmy for this time of the year--with a cool morning with frost dulling the green grass down to a yellow sage color to the clear skies and warm days that have framed up this fall. Not much rain, not much cold. And here we are, almost at Thanksgiving and the fear of the long winter has not set in. Thankfully. We had some storms put on the remaining windows here in the big house. We also had the chimney sweep here to clean our little engine, our little skinny Jodel stove--to find that it now smokes. Rob took it apart from the bottom end to find nothing blocking the air (no mouse nests, birds nests, chipmunks, or stray skunks nesting in the stove)...but smoking none the less. So Mel, the small man who sweeps is coming again to troubleshoot the stove. I am getting the snows put on the car along with an early annual check, oil change and check the pings and knocks. Gotta get ready as Vermont looms for our Thanksgiving treat. We are off to visit my brother and tribe in Woodstock--and our entire clan is thrilled with the aspect of a scene change.
My office is generally a big mess. Thats the way I like it...and now with the holidays almost upon us, the gift wrap, present piles have taken the entropy to an entirely different place. I am thrilled with my new collection of reusable shopping bags with matching gift wrap that Walmart offered. I am thrilled as I have gotten through the stock paper and ribbons that I have held onto for the year. I am chugging through the collection of presents I have accumulated, and am making lists of those things that need to be bought or considered. My holiday cards have come from the printer as have the envelopes. Hopefully, tomorrow, I can review the labels and refine the list so that we can get into the whole holiday mailing thing (along with doing the same thing for valentines day as my valentines cards have delivered too!) next week...and have it done by 12/1. I really need to get the bulk of this work done before 12/1 as the holidays bite into the month, and just as the dessert fork hits the plate on Thanksgiving day, we need to be done for the December holidays as there are only so many days, so many evenings and an ocean's amount of work due by January 1 as many budgets tail out by that time. So, from a work standpoint, its clear the decks and get ready for the onslaught.
The home team need a break.Everyone is complaining about homework, about the kids at the High School etc. The sooner the musical and ski club can begin, the better. We are having both of the younger's wisdom teeth pulled out after Christmas, so...the holiday is going to be before the teeth and after teeth. Poor devils. But, on the good side, at least this will be done before everyone goes to college.
Trying to make plans to take the tribe to Art Basel Miami the first week of December. Need to make the schedule and $$ work with the frequent flier miles. More later.