An addition to the note above; cold turkey isn't my way of stopping many things, but I do think I'll slack off the posts, enumerate more than describe after a while. I can see that my house looks so much better now than it did when all of this started. I'm sure some of that will reflect in the January thread. But I do need to stand back and see if there are any grand gestures that might speed this along. More furniture out the door? Move book shelves? Hold a garage sale?
This morning I packed for shipping an eBay item that sold this week. And the eBay page that greeted me tells me I can give eBay gift certificates. I won't be doing that, but I will be listing some things this week, hoping that in the down time between the holidays when people are home playing on the computer (new or not), that they might go shopping at eBay for useful or decorative items.
It's raining today, we haven't had rain since before Thanksgiving. Sounds wonderful! We don't need a white christmas, but at winter-time one does feel right (it hit 80 here one day this week!) All of you Santa's helpers, pace yourselves today. I don't put out the stockings contents until the kids have gone to bed, and that is pretty late some years. At least they sleep late, so tomorrow's breakfast (a favorite for all of us - pancakes and bacon) doesn't come at the crack of dawn.
It is a modest holiday, compared to years past, but still wonderful. My gift to myself is to have both kids here this year. And when I watch and listen to them talk and laugh and enjoy each others' company, I know I managed to accomplish something very important to me that my parents didn't manage (in their own lives or in ours) - to have a family that gets along, regardless of if we live together or not, if we're still married or not. This year was very important for me, when I had long, detailed conversations with two of my siblings and managed to finally set aside the last of the misunderstandings dating from my father's death. There is still one who is out there, not getting along with anyone, but that is due to nature, not nurture. Undiagnosed, untreated mental health issues are hard on families.
Here's hoping your houses, large, small, or temporary, smell good with favorite foods, with your choice of candles, fireplace, mulled drinks, baking, whatever. Give each of yourselves a hug for being the wonderful people you are, and thank you for sharing your gifts of insight and hard work with all of us over the last couple of years. It really has been a big help.