Thursday Before Christmas

I start winding down around 1800 hrs. Any thing left undone from the day will not get done and if it does get done it will be with much grumbling. I explain this to Carrie and to her this means she must be bathed and dressed for bed before the magical witch hour of 1800.

We play in the tub, polish nails and brush hair gently as long as we don't wait too late to get to these activities. Last night was no different. I felt exhaustion cause my step to waver along with my patience. As Carrie lay soaking in the tub, I visited the master bathroom and discovered the place a mess. I should visit more often. This is the bathroom the husband uses and it was evident. The laundry hamper was spilling forth jeans, sweatshirts and wet towels.

Way past my witching hour which means I'm now into full "bitchin" mode, I was hanging the heavy jeans, towels and sweatshirts on the clothes line aided my the motion sensor lights that flicked on from their spot on the Little House. A great decision, those motion lights.

Between trips to the laundry room, the bathroom where Carrie was bathing and the clothes line in the back yard, I was working myself into getting a good night's sleep. I was tired but determined to get all the clothes washed and hung on the line.

Needless to say, I slept better then usual last night. As I stood in the kitchen preparing a pot of coffee, I could see the trees and bushes moving softly in the breeze. By the time I had finished my first cup of coffee, I could hear the metal flashing on the roof around the chimney battling the breeze. The wind has picked up and I realize that storm predicted is arriving earlier then what I expected. Grabbing the laundry basket, I almost got into race mode on the way to that clothes line. I'm ripping clothes off the line, clothes pins flying  through the air, I didn't want to have all the heavy stuff hanging on that line saturated with rain.

I made it back into the house and as I passed before that kitchen window, I could see the rain coming down in sheets. Barely made it, close call!

I'm listening to the dryer leach out the little bit of moisture in those clothes. Carrie is beside me, having just got out of bed and the husband is on his first cigarette and cup of coffee.

It's time for me to get dressed and make a list of those last items I need to purchase for Christmas dinner. That's my plans for today. 2 more days till Christmas.

I don't feel the excitement that the children are feeling. Carrie picks up packages, rearranges them beneath the tree and reads the labels. Ah, to be a child and have that anticipation. I remember it well.