Well, as the day rolls to a slumbering halt, I think I'll take this time to reflect on the past days events and share some thoughts. Or maybe I'll just leave some comments. Let's see how things go.
This Christmas, not unlike the past 18 years worth of Christmas', was full of driving insanity and mingling mayhem. I really have no desire to chit chat about my lack of shopping
preparing, nor do I care to discuss the debauchery that I miraculously avoided at the dreaded shopping mall. However, in this
brief retrospect, I think I'll
renege on that last comment and yammer on about my experience.
As I didn't get paid until the 21st and didn't receive my bonus until the 22
nd, I honestly had no money to go shopping for gifts until one or both of those cheques were deposited into my account. After staring helplessly at the amount of cash left in my account after my overdraft was covered, I said screw it and made my way over to the mall in search of the perfect gift for everybody I had put on the list this year. (sometimes you just can't buy for everybody...it's so sad)
With my list in my front pocket, I went into the masses with this one thought in mind: patience, walking slowly is not a crime. And you know what? I was amazed at myself. I actually didn't freak out once. I wasn't even bothered by the turtle pace I had to maintain, nor did I scream profanities at the people who stopped in front of me or cut across me to get to the other side. I was a picture of holiday shopping
perfection. Me! Yeah, it took a while for me to swallow too.
See, it may all sound simplistic, but you have to take into consideration that I have no idea where any of the stores are in the Eaton Centre. I mean, no idea. I loathe that place and the individuals that choose to waste their time in there. Anyway. All I had was a wallet full of cash and a list of names with scribbles of what I wanted to get them. Long story short, after going over the same square
footage, I don't know how many times, I managed to come out of that place two hours later with gifts for 5 people. I was so proud of myself. Damn proud. That was Thursday.
Friday was spent at my desk, for the most part, staring at the clock and getting pissed off at the slowness of the annoying clock. At noon, Mr. Yip said we could all leave at 2pm. Woo
hoo!! At exactly 2pm I bolted out of the office and met up with Susanna to run around in the
friggin rain. Let this be a lesson to us all: rain and shopping go together as well as
maggots and
sticky rice. Yes, that's right. How was that visual? Anyway, back to the subject at hand.
After
gallivanting with Susanna in the mall, choking on
MacDonald's (serves me right for eating it in the first place) and walking in the pissing rain without a jacket, I managed to come out of it with gifts for all the other people on my list. I was a happy kid. A little
disappointed that I wasn't able to find the two books I wanted for two people, but I covered my tracks with one gift card and one I Owe You. Not the most creative thing I have ever done, but they each served their purpose. I spent a couple hours that night wrapping a few gifts and taking the tags off the others, prepping them for the mayhem that would ensue Saturday morning.
Saturday morning was a bloody bust. I woke up with a headache at 10am, so already had slept half the morning away. By noon the headache had attacked me with the
ferocity of a 7 scale migraine and I had to call in the troops (read:Mom) to pick my ass up because I couldn't see, let alone drive to my sisters for Christmas dinner. Blah, blah, blah. I slept the entire time at my sisters, threw up when I tried to eat some dinner, then passed out with the help of some seriously addictive narcotics when I was taken to my parents place for the
remainder of the night. Needless to say I got absolutely NOTHING done all day.
Sunday was a day of catch up. I dropped my parents off at my Aunts, flew home to wrap gifts, made a few calls, popped in to visit with a couple of people and brought all of my laundry back to my parents place, after picking their drunk asses up after dinner. I was only able to achieve half of what I would have got done on Saturday, but whatever, there's no point in crying over spilled milk. Especially when milk gives you the shits.
Today. Monday. Christmas Day. What a glorious day. We all woke up early, thanks to Kayla stomping around the hardwood at 4am. Kari, Phil, Kayla, Peter, Mom and I made our way into the reading room and exchanged gifts. It was a long, beautiful process, as Kayla wanted to help everybody...until she got bored and ended up with her 2.5 year old butt in front of the computer, clicking the mouse for hours.
After breakfast, everyone but me went for a nap. I went to see Father and Carol, had a quick visit and gift exchange, came back to Mom and Peter's, drank some water, drove to Kim's for dinner and a visit, came back to Mom and Peter's, which is where I am now. Soon to retire to bed, as tomorrow promises much of the same travelling
hilarity. I have the sneaky suspicion that I will be woken up at 5am. Cross your fingers for me.
Merry Christmas all. I hope your holidays were as blessed as mine.
**I bet you thought I would list off what presents I got for being such a good girl all year, didn't you? I was spoiled rotten and count my blessings for the family I have. Life is better than good**
