It's Almost Here

The second refrigerator is humming in the basement, the holiday cookies have been pulled from their hiding place, and the dog is looking nervous.
Christmas is just about to pull into the driveway.

          Still, I need an advent calendar.

          In one week we’ll be channeling the Joads as we fill every available cranny in the car and turn it toward Florida. This is our first year as snowbirds and the anticipation is making us a little crazy. Maybe if I had a little chart with flaps to lift until the Big Day it might help. Behind one door could be a tiny bicycle, another a palm tree, followed perhaps by grass that is snow-free.

          Meantime, there are little piles all over the house. One corner of the bedroom has a bag with items that I cannot forget: pills, checkbook, charging cables. The porch has golf clubs, the ship model My Guy plans to assemble, those glasses that would-be-so-great-in-Florida-but-we-forgot-we-have-to-transport-them-there. Right by the basement stairs are the end tables that were such a good deal (see afore-mentioned glasses) and the stool I reupholstered because why buy a new one when I had this (again, note glasses). And we haven’t even thought about clothes yet. I figure mine will travel in trash bags that can be stuffed into the empty spots (ha,ha!).

          Thank heaven I have Christmas Eve and fifteen people arriving for dinner tonight followed by madcap present opening the next day and a hysterical dog to temporarily distract me from pacing the house like a senior in high school awaiting the mailman.

          Happy Hanukah and Merry Christmas everyone. May your presents all fit and your relatives be rational.