Christmas Shopping and More

Tuesday I had physical therapy and it was a bit more tiring than I expected. Kay, the therapist added a few new things, including what I can only describe as a sobriety test. I really have to wait until after PT to hit the pub! Wednesday was much more fun! Mr. C and I took Lexie out for Christmas shopping and more. It was a great day although I was exhausted when I got home and there was still more on the agenda!

I’ve done most of the Christmas shopping online. It’s so convenient and involves no walking at all! But, in the spirit of Christmas I really wanted to get out among the people and breathe in the icy air and listen to the piped in Christmas tunes. This meant leaving the house but I couldn’t bring myself to go to an actual indoor mall. There’s a limit to my people tolerance. Instead we went to the local outlet mall.

Our daughter-in-law, Andi has had me babysitting while she works part-time from home. I told her we were taking the baby with us to shop and she got the car seat and stroller into our vehicle. She gave me instructions on how to work everything and we were on the way!

First we stopped by Walmart and Lexie found one of her people there. She was sitting in her stroller and let loose with one of her very high-pitched happy screams. A moment later, from deep within the store we heard an answering cry from some unseen but equally soprano-voiced baby. Nearby shoppers began to laugh as the babies took turns calling to each other. One commented that they were communicating and the adults better beware!

Lexie thought this screeching conversation was great fun but she took it well when we finished and left the store.

She was equally pleasant while Mr. C and I dragged her in and out of the car to visit several stores. But her real delight came when we stopped for lunch.

At a local Greek eatery she perused the menu and suggested we get her two of everything. This girl loves her food! I told her she could share my meal as it was going to be my big meal for the day. She agreed.

We lunched on saganaki with pita bread, a gyro sandwich, rice with carrots, and salad. She discovered she really likes chick peas and kasseri cheese. Lexie was also quite happy to chomp on the beef/lamb gyro meat and salad as well as the occasional bite of the table. Teething can be rough on a girl!

After lunch we made one more quick stop at the outlet mall then headed home. I expected to spend the rest of the day resting but Andi had other ideas.

She asked me to watch Lexie for a few more minutes while she got something from the storage shed. Dragging my 10-year-old granddaughter with her, she was gone for quite some time. When they started bringing boxes upstairs I realized why it had taken so long.

Christmas hadn’t arrived at our house. It erupted!

Before long the big dining table was covered in Christmas glassware, dancing figurines, and candle holders.

The large area behind the sectional, empty after Thanksgiving extra seating was removed, was filled. Boxes of artificial trees, wreaths, ornaments, and various other Christmas decor.

Pete arrived home from work, took one look around and asked Andi, “How many trees do ya have there, Killer?” Andi tried to avoid a direct answer but I was happy to help. “Five. But they’re not all full size.”

Summing things up eloquently, Pete said, “You’re all crazy.” He went back to shower leaving Andi, Estrella, Lexie, and me to work on finding the right parts to the right trees.

Andi put our little tree together and found all the lights for it.

We located the top and “trunk” of the living room tree and have the branches ready to insert. Although there may be branches from an extra tree or two in the mix.

Downstairs I added a large candle to the bookcase display and put the tree where it may or may not stay.

Today I’ll find our ornaments in the pole barn and start hanging them on the tree. I’ve got some ideas for making things look a bit less “rustic” down here for the holiday and that may require another shopping trip. I’m sure Lexie won’t mind.