Tuesday Miscellany

* Today started with me really wanting to whine on Facebook: "Having to set the alarm clock to wake up during Christmas week is pure evil!" Or something like that. But I realized quickly how ridiculously blessed I am that I rarely have to wake up by an alarm. Most mornings, I have the luxury of staying in bed as long as I wish. I hardly ever manage to sleep past 7:30 a.m., but still, I could if I wanted to.

* I read three complete People magazines while I waited for my daughter at the orthodontist's office today. I am totally up to date with every single thing that is happening in Hollywood.

* Do you think celebrities are actual people? I mean, do you ever think it's weird that we go about our normal lives, cleaning the toilet and paying the electric bill, and all of these celebrities make their living off of entertaining us? Isn't that just weird?

* I love getting Christmas cards. We have been getting several each day, including one today from my only aunt, who lives in Friday Harbor, Washington. She is an artist, and the card is of her painting "Snow Falling on Firs." The text inside the card was written by her husband, whom I have never met but who I know I would like very much. He has a poet's heart. Here's what the writes in first part of their Christmas card: "It is time again for the wild swans to come honking down from their summer homes in the far north to settle in for the winter on our ponds and lakes on San Juan Island. This is red sweater and hearty soup time, Christmas in Friday Harbor." Red sweater and hearty soup time. Yes.

* Christmas was the same for so long here in SmallWorld, and this year I am feeling some of those traditions losing their allure a bit. It's the kids aging, I suppose, as well as my parents aging. I can't get terribly enthused about baking Christmas cookies, and yet I miss being enthused about baking Christmas cookies. Although the house is nicely decorated and festive, I haven't made anything crafty. We are behind on our countdown stockings, and no one seems to be terribly traumatized.

* I have a lot of shopping yet to do.

* I began this post hours ago, when my two oldest were out Christmas shopping and Duncan was playing the Wii. The house was quiet and peaceful. Since then, I've burned 24 cupcakes, ironed a bunch of shirts, cooked dinner, chatted on the phone, hurt for my son, ironed more clothes, cleaned up the dinner dishes, done two loads of laundry, put yesterday's laundry away, and wrapped some presents. At last, I return to the post.

* And then posting was interrupted again so we could catch up on our Christmas countdown stockings. (See picture here.) I love the verse I got to read tonight: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." I needed that.