And So It Begins

(No, not the beginning of the end of the Trump kakistocracy.)
*****
Big Cuter did the heavy lifting as I sorted and discarded and packed and repacked until I had one box for Fall, one for Halloween, and one for Thanksgiving neatly aligned on the proper shelf.  Hanukkah and the two Minimal Christmas boxes are on the floor of the garage, open and ready to be unpacked as the spirit or the need requires. 

Finding myself soap-less at the sink this afternoon, I found a Christmas tree patterned bar on top of the first Minimal box.  It must have been the last thing I put away, unless I was brilliant and realized it would be the first thing I'd need when I closed the box last January.  Stranger things have happened.

I did organize the wrapping supplies last year.  I tossed anything that wasn't pristine, gave away the religiously themed items I'd never use, contained the tags and the embellishments and the Hanukkah glitz separately, and set them on easily transportable holiday themed trays. They live in Betsey's-Mother's-Cedar-Chest which has housed my December paraphernalia for decades.   It's always organized, one of the few places in my life about which that is true.  Every year I am very very happy when I lift the lid.  This year was no exception.

I picked up the mailing supplies at the post office while buying my Forever stamps, brought in the bubble wrap, located the packing tape dispensers, and got to work.  I took the price tags off the containers for the brownies, sticking them (artistically) on the plastic bag of plastic ties and other non-recyclables.

I baked and I bagged and I wrote cards.  I really should print out the Brownie List, but, as usual, I can't find it.  It should be filed under Brownie List, right?  I'll look again tomorrow.  Today I am having too much fun doing the work.

This is a transition week, neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring as G'ma, somewhat inexplicably, often said.  It's November but Fall holidays are over.  It's not December, so Christmas red and green seems premature, especially since Hanukkah comes first.  It's a minor holiday transformed into a merchandising opportunity (have you seen Mensch on the Bench?) but it should have its due.  So I took out the blue pillar candles and unpacked another from the box and they are easing us into the holiday season. 

TBG is smiling, too, averring that he needs my organized chaos to get into the holiday spirit.  The fresh brownies, available for his consumption unless specifically told otherwise, may also have something to do with it.

There are pressing political matters, about which I am vaguely aware.  It's hard to maintain any interest in the slime of this presidency when there's so much love and joy to be shared. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I know that I need more very's.  

I'm very very very very very happy right now.