Tired, Bored and Dreading the Holidays

I didn’t write last night because I was exhausted by the time I got down here. We’re still organizing the house and we got a lot done yesterday although I can’t remember what. The day is just a blur to me. Today we got even more done but are now running into the we-can’t-do-this-until-we-do-that obstacle. We can’t get any more of my boxes out of the garage until we get some of her stuff out of the basement, but we can’t do that until we find two missing shelves and get the carpet in her sons’ room replaced.

We need the shelves to put in the wall unit to put some of her collectibles on display; and the carpet has to be replaced to move the extra boxes of toys from the basement to the boys’ room. We think the shelves may be in the garage but can’t find them because of all my boxes that are out there; and the carpet can’t be replaced for another couple of weeks. We’re stuck but neither of us can keep living out of boxes. Kara still hasn’t finished completely unpacking from when they moved into the house a year ago. I know what that’s like; I’m sure we all do. It’s just getting frustrating for both of us to not be able to get to all of our things when we need them. We’re getting by, though.

I still have to decide where to put my Christmas tree this year. I have barely any furniture here since I sold it all before I moved back in July and there is a lot of floor space. There isn’t a lot of wall space, though. All of the walls are taken so I’m not sure what to do with the tree. It’s supposed to go up in another week or so, so I need to get a lot of work done down here to make a space or to make it look less cluttered. Either way I’m sure it’ll all work out fine; it always does.

I just can’t believe Christmas is right around the corner. I really don’t like the holidays and if I didn’t have kids, I wouldn’t celebrate holidays at all. I don’t like all of the commercialism or the racing to get shopping done. Stores are putting Christmas items on the shelves earlier and earlier in the year now. Before you know it they won’t even take Christmas stuff down at all. I don’t like it that stores are opening at midnight after Thanksgiving dinner for people to get shopping started. What the fuck? I know people like the deals they get but what’s up with having to get up at 3:00 in the morning just to get the early-bird door busters?

I also don’t like holidays that dictate that I have to buy something for the people I love. I love my kids and I buy gifts for them all year long; I shouldn’t have to prove it to them on specified holidays because tradition says so. No, I don’t have to celebrate the holidays if I don’t want to but I also don’t want my kids being treated badly by others because of things like that. “You don’t celebrate Christmas? Why not? You’re weird!!” It is what it is and I can’t change it. I still don’t have to like it, though. And I really don’t have to like shopping. I really, really, really don’t like shopping, of any kind – but especially not around the holidays.

Kara and I decided that we’ll do our Christmas shopping online this year. She gets points and cash back from her Internet business if we shop from some of her affiliates. Walmart is one of those affiliates. The problem with that is that we have a special relationship, Walmart and I. I go in to spend $20 and I walk out after spending $150. It never fails. As long as I’m going there with someone else and not going shopping for myself, things are fine. Whenever I’m there to spend my own money, though, I just can’t stop myself. I love Walmart and all the bargains and I just can’t resist impulse shopping when I’m there. It sucks. Online is the best for me because I can’t see all the merchandise at the same time.

One place I never really had trouble was Dollar General and there isn’t one here in NY; and I’m bummed about that. In Independence I was at that store, at least, twice a week if not more often. I love that place as much as I love Walmart but Dollar General doesn’t take as much of my money in a single visit. It’s more manageable there. I’ll have to campaign to their headquarters to have them build some stores out my way. Yes, we have Family Dollar and Dollar Tree but it’s not the same. Dollar General is just better and always had what I needed when I needed it. {sigh} I miss my Dollar General. There was one in Maryland that I went to a couple of times but it was on the other side of town so I couldn’t go as often.

I don’t know. I guess the impending holidays are bumming me and I’ll stay this way until New Year’s Eve. It’s the holidays, all the work we’ve been doing around here, everything that still needs to be done…blah, blah, blah. When I sat down to write tonight I was in a perfectly good mood. Now, though, I’m just really tired and ready for bed. Maybe I shouldn’t have sat here watching “Hannah Montana” on the TV. I left it on for Dolly to go to sleep and she’s been asleep for a while now, I just haven’t turned off the TV. The more I watch, the more tired I get. So I guess I’ll quit griping for now and get some rest so I’ll be ready for whatever I can find to do tomorrow. Maybe a huge miracle will come along to help me get through the holidays, too. That would be nice but it would really have to be spectacular. I really have to stop now or I’ll just keep boring all of you. Tomorrow I should have something more fun to write about. Then again, maybe I won’t. You’ll just have to come back to find out, won’t you?

Until next time…peace to all.