Holiday Mess

Yesterday was a challenging day on many levels. The work we are doing in the house was going on in three places at once, four if you include the carpentry on the driveway. I wasn't prepared to have a bunch of people here so I was scrambling around trying to organize the Christmas presents and move my clothes out of my closet in the short window of time before Jane had to be picked up from her first two final exams. Also, the house is dirty, dirty, dirty, but it is pointless to clean while painters are sanding woodwork. And believe me, as much as I would prefer a quiet house, I do want the work to continue on at a fast pace so they can finish it up. Still, the disruption is hard for me. I tried so hard to go with the flow, but at one point I found myself sitting on Kate's bed, crying big, ugly tears. This is not the kind of holiday mess I want.

I got over it. I made dinner reservations. I took Jane out for lunch then read my book while she studied. I crawled in the guest bed in the studio and napped. When I woke up, I worked on the quilt back which didn't not go as expected. Measure once, cut once, make a ton of mistakes. In the end, I had my Tim Gunn moment and made it work. Today I will buy batting and tomorrow I will baste. I think I will pick up gingerbread house kits for the girls to do while we are at a holiday party. Maybe I will even get to buying the last few little Christmas presents and get everything wrapped. That just leaves the hats. I am still knitting, although the pace has slowed considerably. I'm not worried - there is still time.

Right now remembering my mantra of last year and reclaiming it. All is calm, all is bright.

Comments

[Suzanne]

Thanks for sharing the mess and the reminder.

[Thaqif Aziz]

Thanks for sharing the mess and the reminder.

Cerita Pawer!

[Teri]

Why is it that we always plan this kind of work at the Holidays? I'll never know.......

[Steph VW]

It must be meltdown week. We were planning to have a painter come in on Monday and Tuesday next week to paint our living and dining room. That's not happening now until the New Year. We will live with the marigold coloured walls for one more Christmas.

Breathe in, breathe out... yes, All is calm, all is bright. We can celebrate the holidays despite the mess.

[Stacey]

Thanks for sharing - I feel like I am going to use that mantra alot in the next 2 weeks!! Just keep reminding myself this is a happy exciting time!

[domesticali]

Hang in there! I hung the glittery all is calm all is bright banner that I made a year or two back, only to have the cat attack it. It now says All is cal^^ , which just about summed up my mental state yesterday. I put myself to bed early and have high hopes that today will be better.