Today I am trying to plan our trip to CA next year. It is probably already pretty late to schedule since it is in Feb. still I am hoping we can get a decent package. Let me just say I am not all that impressed with the travel sites thus far. They are difficult to manage when you are trying to compare different travel dates and potential flight destinations. We have some flexibility in that area and every change changes any past search in a separate window. Stupid. I am thinking of some old fashioned travel agent contact to see if they might be able to do better. I am suspicious that they would use the same sites I do (@@@ couldn't beat the online price for D I S N E Y.). Still worth looking. Sometimes I think we should skip it. I really want to see my friends and not only will my best friend be there (of course) but many of our mutual friends. There are also folks who I used to work will as well as My Darlings friends. I might even be able to coerce Ms Zu and Princess Zoe down from the north so the two kids can meet.

There is nothing else on tap for the day. Movies, fire in the fireplace, beef stew with dumplings for dinner and to bed. Tomorrow I will head off to another long day at work. Two weeks before My Darlings family Christmas and three before the real thing. I am woefully behind in my shopping. The kid is done although the stocking will need stuffing but My Darling is still short presents. I like to get him what he wants but I also like to get him what I like for him. Online purchases require a shipping time. My Darling had Prime which gives free shipping but buying his present with his account defeats the purpose of presents. Things could be worse, at least we don't have the nieces and nephews this year.

Most of the decorations are up and the tree is decorated, nothing left but to bake cookies and finish cleaning the house. I keep a pretty tidy house but that is all I can lay claim to. It isn't dirty but it could be cleaner and I like to have it clean before the holidays. That way I don't have to clean clean again until spring. This is about floors cleaned in all the nooks and crannies on hands and knees, no wet mopping will do. I save the deep vacuuming until the last minute since between the cat and the kid it doesn't stay clean like that for long. Funny, not that long ago the kid and I were deep vacuuming and he turned to me and asked if Meemaw and Grandpa were coming. You know you don't vacuum enough if the kid equates vacuuming to company is coming. In my defense we have a light weight old style sweeper that I use frequently in the living room and the bedrooms tend to stay clean as we don't wear shoes in the house. The kirby doesn't get hauled out unless we are doing the whole house.

Chickens are doing ok, laying 6 to 8 eggs a day (yes we have a lot of eggs). We do like eggs though so we have only given away a couple dozen so far. I could try and sell them. People around here put eggs in a cooler out at the end of the driveway with a jar to put the money in. Most people are honest and I have the theory that if people take them without paying well we are no worse off than if we gave them away and they probably need the eggs more than we do.

Not much else going on, well there is but it isn't for me to say. Suffice it to say that it may affect Christmas a bit but not for the kid and not anymore than the already difficult part of seeing the MIL suffering from Parkinsons. Life can be messy and sad but we hold onto the sparkle in the kids eyes when he talks of Santa's visit, toys and Mee Maw and Grandpa's visit.

It's the little ones who remind you what it is all about.

I wish you Peace

~alison~

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