Concluding the Holiday Season

I slept in this morning and didn't get to the Acme until past noon. Thankfully, it was steady but not nearly as busy as last Friday. I grabbed my paycheck, then rode over to America's Best to order my contacts. They're way past due for a restock, but I've either been busy, haven't had the money, or had to work late. They were so dead, I was able to go in, order, pay, and leave in five minutes.

Most of my grocery shopping this week involved restocking baking or casserole items used for last week's meals and the holiday gifts - sugar, canned mushrooms, cream of mushroom soup, tuna, honey, tape (they have 3-packs for a dollar), and chocolate pudding mix (to replace the one that was gobbled by a mouse). The company that owns Acme is in the midst of changing the labels of its generic frozen vegetables; they've apparently been out of frozen peas for a while now. I bought a frozen Oriental vegetable mix instead. Had more luck with oranges, bananas, pears, and some good sales on juice concentrate and laundry detergent.

When I got home, I put everything away, had a quick leftovers lunch while watching more public domain shorts, then went right back out again. I needed to make a really quick run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. The indoor area was quiet, and I was in and out there as well.

I ran two Christmas DVDs while taking down the holiday display items and dressed bears and stuffed animals. The Backyardigans finally debuted an out-and-out Christmas episode in what I believe was their last season in 2010. "The Action Elves Save Christmas Eve" is pretty self-explanatory. Tasha, Pablo, and Uniqua are elves who have to find Santa's sack before Christmas Eve, or Santa can't deliver his presents! Two lonely snow monster brothers (Austin and Tyrone) took it, but they didn't really mean any harm - they didn't even know what it was.

The House Without a Christmas Tree is a favorite of mine. I usually watch it on or around Christmas Day, but I just didn't get to it this year. 11-year-old Addie Mills (Lisa Lucas) is a smart young lady living in a quiet small town in Nebraska in 1946. Like Ralphie in A Christmas Story, all she wants for Christmas is one special thing that she pesters her father (Jason Robards) endlessly about. Unlike Ralphie, the item she wants is hardly violent - a Christmas tree. Her father has never had one in the house. It reminds him too much of her late mother. When Addie wins a tree from school, her father becomes angry with her. They both learn a lesson in charity when Addie gives the tree away, and Grandma (Mildred Natwick) reminds them that charity begins at home...and it's never too late to show those you love that you care about them.

A sweet, gentle story, with wonderful performances by Lucas, Robards, and especially Natwick as the eccentric grandmother caught between her stubborn son and his even more stubborn daughter. Highly recommended for those looking for a quieter Christmas story for families, especially ones with girls, or for those with fond memories of the original 70s broadcast.

Taking down the Christmas decorations takes a lot less time than putting them up does. I actually cleared out some display items and consolidated others into a few bags and boxes. I had a harder time with the stuffed animals. I really had to push and shove to get them in the container! I cleared out a few; maybe I should look into clearing out more next year or finding another container for them.

Work was surprisingly steady, given I worked late. It was 9:30 before it really started slowing down, and even then, the time flew. I was in and out quickly.

Oh, and once again, mixed feelings on my schedule. The bad news is, I only have 18 hours this week. The good news is, three days off and only one day (next Saturday) later than 8PM. This shouldn't be as devestating financially as the lack of hours in the summer and fall were. The weeks between Three King's Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are usually quiet. Things pick up as we get closer to February, which is probably our single busiest month of the year. Not to mention, our W2s should be coming out at the end of the month, and I'll probably have tax return money coming.