Sad Snowman, deliberately droopy, as designed by Rocket
No surprise, I was hit with the post-Christmas Ebola. I knew that the race to get everything just right for the holidays would leave me totally drained on Dec. 26, but I didn't expect to have an awful cold and sore throat too. In a small way, it was fine because while I'd rather not have been sick, it forced me to do nothing. I took a nap, I moved from family room to the bedroom and back, and I watched TV, all without guilt, which was great.
By Tuesday, I started to feel better, but my outlook had shifted. Maybe this is the one week out of the year that I could do as close to nothing as possible...without any guilt. A week-long vacation during other times of the year are relaxing, but life is going on like normal all around, keeping up the reminder of what is being missed or what still needs to be done. But this week is different because so many people are off work that a week of eating leftover Christmas cookies, catching up of sewing projects, and indulging in daytime television are all perfectly fine ways to pass the time. I slept in until 9 a.m. yesterday, which is a huge milestone because Kevin was by my side. Neither one of us had to get up to entertain or feed a child. Both kids slept in and then did their own quiet thing - minus the time I thought Rocket was ringing a bell. It turns out, it wasn't Rocket daintily ringing a little silver bell with his pinkie in the air, waiting to be served, but he turned his alarm clock on by accident. (Him, "I turned it to 'no!'" Me under my breath, "Is he dyslexic? It's o-n, not n-o.")
Our Christmas decorations typically stay up until about Jan. 2, but this year, the boxes are out and much is packed away. I'm ready for 2012. The list of books on the side of this blog hasn't been neglected; those are the only books I read this year. So, so sad. I didn't even read one book a month, but I pledge to change that next year. We went to the library tonight, allowing me to get a head start. A little less time on Twitter, and a little more reading actual literature. Dream big.
This week my goal is lofty: the free myself from syndicated sitcoms that I have only just discovered, to set goals for 2012. I like to have a plan, and even more, I like one that involves procrastination. No guilt until Jan. 1, and that's a holiday (Sunday football day), which means Jan. 2 is really the start of my year. That gives me a few more days of playing video games and sleeping in. Tuesday is going to be hell.
UPDATE: I read a book! I purposefully picked the shortest book I grabbed at the library, to increase my chance of success. Within about two hours, the book was read, plus I added a book by my friend Lisa, which is awesome (I read it during winter break in February, but didn't write about it because I am not awesome, even though the book has sat right next to my monitor for 11 months, taunting me and making me feel guilty), leaving 12 books are on my sidebar, averaging one a month, and suddenly I am back in this reading game. Take that, illiteracy!
For me, it felt great to relax and stay in pjs and really get not much accomplished in the days after Christmas. My babes were sick, but that forced-slow down was exactly what I needed after a hectic start to December. Happy New Year.
Posted by: Baby by the Sea | January 02, 2012 at 03:23 PM
Hey, thank you! & You are awesome. Honored to have made the list ;)
Posted by: Lisa | January 05, 2012 at 12:05 PM