So little time

Apologies, apologies, I haven't visited anyone in a few days. Like many out there, I am running around like a headless chicken or the proverbial blue-arsed fly. Not only is it the usual Christmas stuff, but I'm co-in charge of the school's Vespers concert on Wednesday evening, where we have to do a reception for "about 600 people". Gulp. That means cajoling the parents to send their kids in with a plate of goodies each. We're working on about a 50% success rate here so back up plans also have to be made.

Tuesday night I have to go to the B&C's partner Xmas dinner, which could be fun but since I'm the boss's wife, I have to behave myself. Yawn! And, I don't have anything suitably boss's wife-ish to wear.

And I keep finding more things to do. Like the presents I had to post/mail out today. The only box I could find was a potato chip/crisp box, which was such a lurid colour that the address wouldn't have been visible. The US Post Office doesn't like it when they can't find the address. And anyway, who wants to get presents in a discarded wholesale food box? So I had the brilliant idea of spraying the box with glue and covering it with brown wrapping paper. The glueing part is essential if you don't want the paper to rip off. I dutifully laid old newspaper all over the table. put the box in the middle, shook the spray can a bit - and forgot to clear the gunk off the nozzle. As you'll appreciate, glue has a tendancy to get clogged up and this can was no exception. Instead of spraying a fine mist straight ahead, onto the desired surface, it shot out upwards and sideways, covering one whole chair, the oven door, three tea towels and half my head. Not to mention the mess on the floor, which is now almost black because everyone insists on walking through it. Everything now has a matt finish, and god knows what I'm going to do about my hair. I think I'll have to go and buy that goo stuff that motor cyclists use to get their hands clean after tinkering.

The kids finish school on Friday, after the "holiday concert" where as usual, my lapsed Catholic kids will be singing either the Dreidel song, or something about Kwaanza. They allocate the songs randomly, and, if memory serves me right, my kids have never performed a carol. We are de-camping to Colorado for the break; me flying with the kids on Saturday and the B&C driving. Yes, I said driving. Over one thousand miles and a stay in a dodgy hotel somewhere in the middle of Nebraska. He did it last year but that was the first time we'd been up there and there was a lot to take. This year, we have even been offered the use of a friend's car, but apparently it's still necessary to drive there. I know he's only doing it for the two days of peace and quiet. I'm no fool. Heck, I would drive there too if I could be by myself for two days. A couple of books on tape, a collection of CDs and a stash of Diet Dr Peppers? Who wouldn't?

Anyway, this coming week, not only do I have to keep buying presents, but there's also the washing and packing of clothes, buying and packing of dry goods to put in the car, negotiating with the airline because my three kids and I have been given seats nowhere near each other on the plane...(actually, come to think of it, an hour and a half by myself sounds good, but I'm sure the perfect stranger ticketed next to my 5 year old won't be too happy).

Oh crikey, there's the teachers' gifts to buy, wrap and deliver......and did I mention the little one is off sick today with a cold?
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