Is It Over Yet? And an Elf-for-a-Day Update
I'm starting to wind down. My energy levels are crashing, my exhaustion is rising, and the sound of ringing bells in my ears (at work) are ubiquitous - they are on my reindeer antlers that I wear during the holiday season. But they do start to creep into my skull by this time of the holiday. Eight days left - seven work days. That phrase echoes in my mind. I still have to arrange for a cake for the 26th. My DH has his birthday on the Day after Christmas, making presents and poverty a double blow. I have two pairs of pants being made for him, and I also got him a really nice leather "man bag" that he's been wanting to be able to carry his chain maille supplies, newspaper, and cell phone to and from work. We'll see how much he actually uses it, but it wasn't super expensive and it is really nice. I'm pleased with that purchase.
DH's cake won't be this fancy, but it would be fun if it was.
I also bought him coffee and some of his munchie mix that he likes to eat at work. But I don't really have a "wow" gift for him this year. Of course many of my "wow" gifts have not worked out well in the past, but I keep trying. I don't have the money to spare for possibly wasted gifts this year though, so I'll just continue to do what I can. I'll probably get him a few pairs of underclothes and socks and maybe some basic toiletries to fill out his stocking. Oh, and chocolate. I wanted to clean the den for him for the holidays and getting that done is still important to me, but my energy levels are low and I just haven't found my way to it.
Isn't this a lovely tree? It's not mine, of course, since I
don't put up a tree at home - I'm not home to enjoy one.
I've got everything else complete though, so if I only have DH left, it's not a horrible thing. I still need to drop off his sister's gift to her at her workplace - another Wednesday errand. And I think I will be able to relax and celebrate Solstice and the renewal of life for another year with joy and without worrying about things still left undone. I will have, at least, done the best that I can.
And an update on my Elf For A Day tale...
I had every intention of being elf-less yesterday. I went to breakfast to meet with my friend Eleanor - a normal Thursday morning routine that we have had for many years. While waiting for her and catching up on a week's worth of newspaper comics, I looked to my right to see a young elfling bouncing in the seat, looking curiously around, and having an extremely self-satisfied grin on his face. As he opened the salt and pepper shakers, which I gently removed from his hands, and began opening sugar packets, which I also removed from his reach, I asked him who he was. The response was not really to the point, though. A happily exclaimed "I did it, I did it..." certainly did not answer my question. After a bit more forceful questioning on my part, I determined that he was, what we would call, "playing hooky" from his lessons. I would have to agree that playing hooky by being in my world instead of his own, was certainly successful. But I really couldn't condone this type of behavior (and we won't go into my personal exploits of skipping school while I was younger and more foolish). I wasn't in a rush, though, and we reached an agreement that he would keep me company until I arrived at the shop, at which time he would leave and return to the lessons that he needed to attend.
We had a nice breakfast. He was relatively calm (for a young one), and the eventual mess that he did create fortunately did not cause Sara, our waitress of long association, to roll her eyes too much. It was a cold morning, but the car was a total revelation to him and he acted, in many ways, rather like a dog would act. He pulled down the window and wanted lots of speed while feeling the cold wind in his face. He was a total speed demon. I imagine that a metal contrivance going more than 60 miles per hour was quite different than the warm body of a horse - even galloping at its' maximum speed. (If he was in our world, I'm not sure I would trust him behind the wheel. Fortunately horses usually have some common sense to override the poor judgement of their riders.) But eventually we arrived at the shop and he thanked me for the breakfast and a wonderful experience travelling and left. Just simply left. One moment he was there, the next he was gone. I still have no idea who he was.
So, that is my tale for my "elfless" day. I spent the rest of the workday turning my thoughts back to the few hours that we had spent together, but I still can't garnish any clues from his speech or what he told me about his own life to gather an accurate identity for him. All I can say is that he appeared to be of Noldarin heritage - dark hair and light eyes, a scholarly bent because he was curious about everything and wanted lots of explanations, and a love of speed. Quite honestly, that could probably describe most of the Noldo sons, so I am no closer to an identity than I was when he first arrived at my side. It was a fun day, though, and he is welcome to return if he is caught up on his lessons. After all, I have a shop of craft supplies that he could wreak havoc with...
DH's cake won't be this fancy, but it would be fun if it was.
I also bought him coffee and some of his munchie mix that he likes to eat at work. But I don't really have a "wow" gift for him this year. Of course many of my "wow" gifts have not worked out well in the past, but I keep trying. I don't have the money to spare for possibly wasted gifts this year though, so I'll just continue to do what I can. I'll probably get him a few pairs of underclothes and socks and maybe some basic toiletries to fill out his stocking. Oh, and chocolate. I wanted to clean the den for him for the holidays and getting that done is still important to me, but my energy levels are low and I just haven't found my way to it.
Isn't this a lovely tree? It's not mine, of course, since I
don't put up a tree at home - I'm not home to enjoy one.
I've got everything else complete though, so if I only have DH left, it's not a horrible thing. I still need to drop off his sister's gift to her at her workplace - another Wednesday errand. And I think I will be able to relax and celebrate Solstice and the renewal of life for another year with joy and without worrying about things still left undone. I will have, at least, done the best that I can.
And an update on my Elf For A Day tale...
I had every intention of being elf-less yesterday. I went to breakfast to meet with my friend Eleanor - a normal Thursday morning routine that we have had for many years. While waiting for her and catching up on a week's worth of newspaper comics, I looked to my right to see a young elfling bouncing in the seat, looking curiously around, and having an extremely self-satisfied grin on his face. As he opened the salt and pepper shakers, which I gently removed from his hands, and began opening sugar packets, which I also removed from his reach, I asked him who he was. The response was not really to the point, though. A happily exclaimed "I did it, I did it..." certainly did not answer my question. After a bit more forceful questioning on my part, I determined that he was, what we would call, "playing hooky" from his lessons. I would have to agree that playing hooky by being in my world instead of his own, was certainly successful. But I really couldn't condone this type of behavior (and we won't go into my personal exploits of skipping school while I was younger and more foolish). I wasn't in a rush, though, and we reached an agreement that he would keep me company until I arrived at the shop, at which time he would leave and return to the lessons that he needed to attend.
We had a nice breakfast. He was relatively calm (for a young one), and the eventual mess that he did create fortunately did not cause Sara, our waitress of long association, to roll her eyes too much. It was a cold morning, but the car was a total revelation to him and he acted, in many ways, rather like a dog would act. He pulled down the window and wanted lots of speed while feeling the cold wind in his face. He was a total speed demon. I imagine that a metal contrivance going more than 60 miles per hour was quite different than the warm body of a horse - even galloping at its' maximum speed. (If he was in our world, I'm not sure I would trust him behind the wheel. Fortunately horses usually have some common sense to override the poor judgement of their riders.) But eventually we arrived at the shop and he thanked me for the breakfast and a wonderful experience travelling and left. Just simply left. One moment he was there, the next he was gone. I still have no idea who he was.
So, that is my tale for my "elfless" day. I spent the rest of the workday turning my thoughts back to the few hours that we had spent together, but I still can't garnish any clues from his speech or what he told me about his own life to gather an accurate identity for him. All I can say is that he appeared to be of Noldarin heritage - dark hair and light eyes, a scholarly bent because he was curious about everything and wanted lots of explanations, and a love of speed. Quite honestly, that could probably describe most of the Noldo sons, so I am no closer to an identity than I was when he first arrived at my side. It was a fun day, though, and he is welcome to return if he is caught up on his lessons. After all, I have a shop of craft supplies that he could wreak havoc with...