The last week until Christmas is upon us and clock is ticking. I can actually hear it. It’s the loudest clock I’ve ever had. It’s our Island Fresh Milk clock featuring “Lani Moo” that we “bought” by redeeming milk carton tops in Hawaii so I don’t have the heart to part with it. Tick…tick….tick… Lani marks the passage of time night and day.
As for preparations here, we are in good shape. Saturday we decorated the tree and 
as always, it is a beauty. Yesterday we wrapped presents, reclaiming the top of the dining room table. The baking is just about done. My Hello Dollies are in the oven and the dough for the Meltaways is in the frig ready for rolling. The stollen will wait until Friday.
Now I need to plan for what we’ll eat besides baked goods and treats. I seem to have misplaced my talent for meal planning. Whenever I sit down to even think about a grocery list I’ll peek out the back window as if pondering the scenery will help me inventory the pantry. Instead I am distracted by the large number of Bluejays we have at the feeders this morning – I’ve counted eight so far. It’s not easy to count them either, since they keep moving about the yard.
I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to get caught up this year. It will be nice to have the next few days to relax before the kids arrive and the celebration begins. Of course this is just an illusion. There is still plenty of the everyday stuff to do this week; bathroom cleaning, floor mopping, vacuuming and laundry and I still have a couple knitting projects to finish up. Speaking of which, I guess I’d better get moving. I only have half an hour before I head to the gym for my “training”. Ho Ho Ho.