Never say Finished

Have you ever gotten all self congratulatory because you thought you had all your Christmas stuff done early?

There is always something. Okay, you’re done, pat yourself on the back and lean back and listen to the Christmas carols. Do you know where your receipts are? Do you have any clue if you saved that one? you know that one the one for that one item that you just know is perfect and the recipient is going to love, love love it? You know the one. The one that they really, really, really love, but in the cold light of Christmas evening is a leetle small, or the sleeves are just a pinch too long and the next smaller size would be perfect? Do you have any clue where that receipt is? I don’t either. I don’t have a clue. I bought some of my gifts last summer on sale and I couldn’t tell you where the receipts are if you held a gun to my head. Hell, I bought stuff last week that I’ve all ready lost the receipts for - receipt from Kroger from four weeks ago for a twelve pack of coke and a bag of dog food that is all ready gone? Right here.

I spent Sunday being Santa for the people at work. I hate handing out gifts in front of people not getting any from me. I would prefer to keep my Christmas list a private affair, its really uncomfortable to be Lady Bountiful in front of people who are not sharing in that bounty. Nothing says “I don’t bother to take the time to learn your name much less get you anything” like walking right past them while holding a hand ful of cards while they stand there and try not to hate you. I always bring extra cards with me to cover the people who may have not been on my list, but who have me on theirs. Oops.

There are a lot of people in my office and most of them are only here a few times a week. I don’t know half of them by name but most of them know me because I hold the files. There is only one of me and about a hundred of them, so I stand out a bit. They like me, I do stuff for them. Sadly, if I do know their names its because they did something to make me learn their name and if I know their name its’s most likely because they did something to piss me off. It doesn't help that I am also terrible with names, just awful. I can talk to some one every day and never know what their name is - and these are people I like. I talk to them everyday and now I’m having to try to figure out who they are so I can give them a card. I imagine that they would like it better if I wrote their name on the envelope. Just saying “Here!” and thrusting a blank envelope in their hands is hardly festive or friendly. It makes me look like I am neither and that makes me sad. Everyone but me needs to where clearly legible name tags. Sigh.

Then I have the Dog Cookie list. This is a short list. It is a short list because I can only buy so many of the tins. This year I bought six. Four all ready in the wind and two are going to people at work. Dogger isn’t getting any this year - I mean, she has cookies, they just aren’t Aunt Cookie cookies. I will be making cookies for her, but the dogs that do not eat their beds or chew on the dish barrel that is being used to hold up the small Christmas Tree get first dibs on the home made goodies. Dogs that aren’t mine for instance. Dogger is not totally out in the cold Cookiewise though, I am going to introduce a new flavor to Aunt Cookies menu this year and Dogger will get to eat the experiments.

After I played at Santa for the office, I took Dogger to see the real deal