Busy Lead-Up To Holidays Whining

Even though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving in November, we Canadians use your holidays as a measure as much you do. Our stores had Black Friday sales (and we all complained "Why must we have these extra sales? We already have Boxing Day," but we also all shopped in those sales). (Speaking of which: I have a Cyber Monday tea order that must be finalized today.) We put up our outdoor lights yesterday, because it's starting to feel like the lead-up to Christmas now, since the Americans have had their Thanksgiving.

And I'm a flurry of activity! As soon as I hit "post" on this, I need to do an hour of freelance work, and then go and get E from preschool again, and then we need to clean the living room and the kitchen, and then we're hauling in the Christmas tree from the garage. And THEN we're moving around the living room and decorating the tree until E goes to bed, at which point I do another hour of freelance research. (I'm working on a family history project for a friend, and she'd like some progress to show her family when she goes home for Christmas.)

If I'm this busy, I can't imagine how our clergical pixies are doing, with Advent beginning this week. (Oh dangit, I have to put interesting things in E's DIY Advent calendar. And make reservations for two birthday parties. And book a birthday cake from the ice cream store! And we have friends staying here on the only non-birthday, non-holiday weekend. Wheeee!)

Happy Thanksgiving Whines, US pixies!

It's Thanksgiving this week in US pixie world. In honour of the day, feel free to share recipes and enjoy hearty debate about important matters such as "Cranberries: Whole or Jelly?"

How is your week shaping up?

Kittens, rainbows, and a super-moon.

Things are still bad after last week.  Part of me keeps fretting about the train wreck; the other part is like, "Look!  A baby cow!  It's so cute!"

We saw a lot of cows and countryside on the fairly long drive to visit my sister in law yesterday.  Our hills are greening up again after the rain last month.  The leaves in the vineyards (the ones that are left now) are yellow, with bright green grass between the rows.  The garden at SIL's facility is so artfully arranged, and looks lovely in all seasons.

My SIL has had a pretty significant decline recently.  She can no longer walk unassisted; she's ready to topple at any moment.  I could make out basically one word; her speech is very garbled.  On the up side, she isn't agitated (as she has been often), is not trying to walk by herself, and does not seem to be in any pain.  Nothing really unexpected; it is just very sad and sobering.  She is younger than us.

 It's my sweetie's birthday this week.  We're taking the kids and future in-laws out to celebrate.  He says he doesn't want anything else, and probably I should have devoted some thought to this before, but I'll keep my eyes open for some this and that he'd like.

And at your place?

Election Week Whining

You know what to do, pixies.

Canadian pixies, please bear with the U.S. pixies this week. We can't think about anything else.

Someone will be by with your daily dose of cute, fuzzy baby animals.

I'm trying my best to be extra gentle with myself and everyone I meet this week. We're all stressed out.

Anything besides the election in whining news? Do tell.