…and all through the house, the cat was staring at the tree trying to find a mouse. Okay, not really, but I needed a rhyme. Loki ignores the Christmas tree. Twinkling lights and shiny ornaments aren’t his catnip. So…Christmas is Saturday. Five days. I think I’ve got this. Or I will once I return from Wallyworld this morning. I’m heading out as soon as it’s light, in hopes of missing any crowd. Normally, early on a Monday morning, it’s pretty quiet. Jake and I get to see the brand stockers that we’ve come to know, the associates who always give Jake pets, and I can get in and out in about an hour. Today though, means real shopping. Not that shopping for groceries and critter food isn’t like real shopping. I have a few presents left to get, and a handful of stocking stuffers.
I have to doff my Santa hat to Lawyer Guy. He’s really pitched in this year and has done the bulk of the Christmas shopping and buying. Not only that, he’s WRAPPED what he bought! Okay, he stuff the presnts in gift bags but hey! No wrappign for me! It’s a win all the way around. I think he had some fun–and it got him out of the house, plus it took the onus off me. I’m all for that! Anyway, I have to get some stuff for him and one present for Baseball Boy and those stocking stuffers. Jake and I will be more than ready for Starbucks by the time we’re done.
In other news, I’ve made headway on the decluttering and rearranging of my office. Boone is getting old and we worry about him. He gets…I don’t know. Confused? Weird? Both? He tries to get into small nooks and crannies where there is no room for him. I cleared out a space in the office closet (which still contains some things left behind by Only), so he’d have a dark, encolsed space with a small opening. We put a bed in there. And yeah, he does get in there sometimes. But then he decided he wanted to get to the bookcase that was blocked off by the Gazelle. Which is going to Only’s house eventually snce I don’t use it anymore. It’s now in the garage because Boone got all tangled up in the apparatus and almost brought down the entire bookscase. I spend about three hours in the morning dealing with him circling my desk chair and lying down in front of me (under my keyboard drawer) or beside my chair on one side or the other so that I can’t roll it. Kills my back and shoulders trying to work around him. But he’s old–14 going on 15–which is OLD for a giant breed dog. So we work around him and worry because the vet just says that he’s old. We’ll all be there some day. Anyway, I cleared out some stuff, and have more floor space so I’m getting psyched to get to work again. A goal for the new year… Goal, not resolution. I don’t do resolutions.
Reading. Kristen Ashley’s newest Dream Team book finally dropped from the library. The first three books in series didn’t exactly blow up my skirts. DREAM KEEPER is covered in crazysauce and I actually enjoyed it. A lot. I still need to read 7 books between now and December 31st to meet my reading challenge for the year. Ilona Andrews has a new book out in their Kinsmen series. I’m currently listneing to the anthology that contains the first two novellas and a bonus short story and then I’ll launch into FATED BLADES. I’m hopeful. After that, not sure where I’ll go. I’m still stalling on the latest Nalini Singh Guildhunter/Archangel series. Not sure why but I am. I’m thinking I need to be in the right headspace and I’m not. Obviously. Since I’m stalling on it.
Writing. The Wolves are getting a little notice. Mostly, I’ve been dealing with an Elf who’s MIA, Sade and the Scooby Gang in New Orleans. I’m almost to edits, I might have a title, and I think I have the cover. Maybe. I’m over 5K words so I need to get it wrappted up before it’s too long for people to be interested. LOL
No baking, though roll making is in my future this week. So is turkey baking and pecan pie prep. We’re doing the James Gang go-straight-for-the-leftover goodies route this year. Cinnamon rolls, turkey sandwiches, pecan and pumpkin pies, plus chips, Only Crack Dip, and a relish tray of pickles, olives, and cheese. Easy cooking. Easy clean-up. Good food. Better company.
I did get some Christmas cards done and in the mail. Now, whether they arrive in time for Christmas? Who know? 🙄 Hey, I put out the effort.
That’s it for me today. As mentioned, as most of you are waking up to read this, I’m off for adventures in Wallyworld. What’s left on your to-do list? Or are you all set for the holidays?
Silver James 
Kira never bothered the Christmas trees either. She was so over it. LOL. Good luck at Wallyworld today. I hope you find all the things you need. Yay for LG and how helpful he is! You’ve got a good one there. Aww, poor Boone. And wow, he’s ancient for his breed. Good on you for giving him the right environment for a long long life. I’m rooting for you and your reading goal. Go, you! Yay for Wolves! Yay for an easy holiday, you know once the pre-holiday stuff is completed. Yay for getting cards out! Cards that arrive after Christmas are a special, fun treat.
The only thing on my to-do list for the holiday is making the ham on Saturday. I might make another batch of cookies – this time with chocolate stars in the middle. Oh, and I need to do a pumpkin cheesecake. Other than that, my goals are all the usual ones – reading, editing, woodsy stuff, and redoing the garden. With the unseasonably warm weather, I should be able to get that last thing done this week. Woohoo.
I’ve never had a cat that was enticed by the tree. We did have a Rottie that took down the tree one year. There was a motion detector ornament that got turned on by mistake and Babe went on intruder alert when we were out one year. We came home to the tree of the floor, the ornament mostly crushed but still moaning Hoooo-hoooo-hoooooh, with Babe barking madly at it. We quit laughing after awhile but she hated the tree after that. The following year, we went to the 3-D barbwire cactus “tree.”
Yummy ham, cookies, and cheesecake. I’m picking up the stuff for more Cool Whip snickerdoodles and hopefully can still nab some turkey breast roasts. If not WW, then the next nearest grocery store. That may be my hunt this week. Maybe I should sic LG on that. LOLOL
Anyway, I located (I think) the presents I want on-line and made note of the aisles. It’s all allegedly in stock. Jake and I will suit up here shortly to face the world.
Have an awesome week and enjoy the unseasonable weather.