The Week In-Between....

Ever notice the week between Christmas and New Year's is kind of like the twighlight zone? It has no real identity. Rather like the lull before the storm. In our house, the tree is still up (albeit missing more than a few needles) there are gifts haphazardly strewn beneath its branches, and the kitchen counter holds several different saran-wrapped plates with goodies from the past festivities. Some half-eaten fudge from a neighbor ...2 stale sticky buns from the batch daughter & her hubby brought over Christmas morning....and a plate of mis-matched Christmas cookies consolidated from several different sources....

I really need to clean up the house (there are tree needles everywhere, stray bits of wrapping paper that never made it to the trash bag, and piles of new things that need to find a home...) but I am biding my time. The lull before the storm thing again. We'll go to my brother's on New Year's Eve and do the whole blow the horns, wear silly hats and throw streamers thing at midnight. We'll hug and cry and remember the people we lost this year (Aunt June & niece Betsy) and stay up way too late laughing and talking.

After that - then and only then - does the season officially end for me. At least the part with the parties and decorations...I really hope I can treasure the true spirit throughout the coming year. We'll hang out all New Year's day...napping and watching TV and munching on stale Christmas cookies. *sigh* All those months of prepping and it's over so quickly.

So for today, I'm just hanging out here - during this nameless week that's sandwiched in between two holidays and enjoying doing nothing. There's a nice fire in the wood stove that I've been stoking since 7 am, grandson is nestled on the couch watching "UP" (a great kid's movie by the way!) and I'm getting ready to brew a cup of java in my one-shot and share a cookie on the couch with my little guy. Does life get any better than this?

I guess for those of you that have to work this week - you probably can't relate. I never had to, so or me - this is normal. Being the stay-at-home mom for many years, then returning to work as the teacher...I always had the luxury of this week. But when the new career begins come January- it will be different. For the first time EVER - Lora will have to work during the "twilight" week. But that is then - and this is now.

My coffee awaits me.

Happy New Year friends!