Holiday rush

I made the mistake of going to the post office during my lunch break on Monday. This was definitely not my intention, but I had been putting this off for long enough that I really needed to get a few things in the mail. Two of those packages were Mary Kay products people had ordered, and a third was for the Pet Swap I am in (I thought the recipient of that would like to receive it before Christmas!)

I accidentally got a little lost on my way to the post office before work that morning, which meant I was headed out during my lunch break. Lets just say I was less than pleased. I arrived in the parking lot which had cars lined up in the street trying to park. Once I got in and managed to get my recycled mailers taped and the correct addresses on the correct packages, I was finally ready to stand in line.
Though the line moved fast, it was still about 5 minutes before I got to the front, and about 25 minutes into my lunch break. My, usually 30 minute lunch break. So I admit, I was pretty grouchy.

Now, imagine the poor person behind the counter. I can only imagine how their day was going. Unfortunately for me, I did not think about them when I walked up to the counter. In my defense, I can at least attest that I was not rude...but I don't think I was very pleasant, either. The woman behind the counter was pleasant, however, and I can't help thinking how hard she was working that day. Certainly harder than I was anyway. And yet, she didn't snap at me, and her manager was cheerfully saying "Happy Holidays!" to everyone leaving. Everyone working in that post office was working hard to make it run smoothly, and even though I didn't appreciate or notice it until later, they actually had holiday cheer, rather than the holiday rush I was feeling.

I feel a little guilty for being so rushed, and not even noticing, or taking the time to stop and realize that I need to be exhibiting holiday cheer, instead of my usual holiday rush.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Unfortunately, I can't show you how our house is decorated for Christmas, because the camera and I are disagreeing. I think the memory cards should work properly, and it disagrees. I also think that when I take pictures without the memory card the camera should show up on my computer desktop when I plug it in. The camera disagrees. Sadly, the camera is winning.

So you will just have to take my word for it when I say our house is decorated for Christmas! Minimally decorated, that is. I have found myself becoming more and more of a minimalist over the past few years. Partially because of the blogs I've started reading in the past year, but I also blame the fact that I was quite transient for about 2 years before settling down here in Washington. If course 8 months after I settle down in our townhouse we bought a house and moved, but I like to think that we are at least going to be staying here for quite some time! Especially considering the rent isn't likely to go up like it did in the townhouse!
Since I have been so transient lately, I haven't really collected many Christmas decorations. What I did have is stored at my parent's house, so I am limited this year. Luckily Geoff bought a Christmas tree and ornaments when he first moved out here, so we do have a lovely blue and silver Christmas tree (which, coincidentally, were our wedding colors almost a year ago!) We also have two stockings hanging on the mantle, and a lovely winter table runner that I will be able to leave out as long as it's cold because it has snowmen on it!

I'm sure, in years to come I will build up my stash of Christmas decorations. In fact, this year after Christmas I'm already planning on buying lights for our house on major clearance. But this year I'm enjoying the simple, minimalist look in my brand new (to us) house.

Holiday blues

It has not been my intention to completely ignore my blog over the past week or so, but I have felt like I've been pulled in so many different directions that simple tasks like planning dinner and cleaning out my email inbox was so overwhelming that my blog was pushed to the side. All around me I have been reading Thanksgiving recaps, seeing people put up trees and Christmas lights and it's overwhelming me. It's stressing me out because I feel like I need to be there too...and I'm not.

If I was to be perfectly honest with you, I would tell you that I'm just not feeling this Christmas season. Due to a combination of non-consumerism and a lack of money, we don't have very many Christmas decorations this year. We have stockings (hung by the fireplace with care, of course) and a table runner, both thanks to my mother-in-law (I do so love when she visits!) and the Christmas tree that Geoff bought his first Christmas out here. I'd love to blame the lack of decorations for my lack of Christmas spirit, but I don't think that's it.

I'm trying to remain upbeat, I really am, but to be honest, I'm missing my regular routines...a regular routine that I haven't had in years. Do you ever wish you could just go back and relive a year again? If I could I would relive 2006. It was the year Geoff and I started dating, the year I started working at the newspaper and the year that I was happy, before my depression set in for the long haul.

It's not 2006, however, it is 2010. It is the year I got married, the year we bought our house, and it's been almost a year since I graduated with my masters. It has been a good year, even if I can't always see it. So this year I'm going to put up our tree, return the phone calls I've been avoiding, enjoy my job and the creativity that I am discovering in finding frugal, yet thoughtful gifts for my friends and family. I'm going to curl up in bed with a warm kitty between my feet and a husband to cuddle with. And I'm going to enjoy it, because one day I'm going to miss the simplicity of my life right now.