A Quiet Advent

That's what I aimed for and it's what I seem to be having thus far. I'm not sure whether I'm really simply stuck in the throes of procrastination, since I've done very little shopping, but I have certainly been feeling more peaceful, for the most part...The last two days I had to shop for ingredients for a Mexican dinner last night. On Tuesday the challenge was that just as I was about to begin the grocery shopping (after a very frustrating visit to Michael's for supplies for a Christmas gift project) it started sleeting. I rushed around the grocery store trying to get everything before the roads got really slippery. First, I couldn't find a couple of ingredients, then the lines were long. Of course, when I got home I discovered that I'd forgotten the pinto beans (found some in the cupboard), and found that my adobo chili powder was nearly 3/4 gone and I hadn't been able to find adobo chilis at my grocery store. I also forgot to get the stuff for dessert. So it was off to the store again yesterday, only to find that no store had the adobo chili powder anymore. Fortunately, one store did have the dried chilies. Mexican meal = success.

Unfortunately, I have to go again today because no store I went to yesterday had the almond bark I need to make Marty Franklin's peanut clusters for gifts. I simply didn't have time to go to the one place where I knew they'd have it and still get back home in time to begin dinner preparations. So while I've done NO shopping for actual completed gifts (except for 1 puny online order), I've done a lot of shopping in grocery stores...

The winter weather we've been having has been part of the reason for my quiet Advent. I refuse to venture out for unnecessary stuff if the roads are bad. What I also know is that I never seem to "get in the mood" to shop until closer to Christmas itself. I have the added problem that I get annoyed with Christmas lists and frustrated with no Christmas list. I finally came up with ideas for my dh yesterday (he's the no list person in my life), but I'm equally frustrated with lists that limit my selections (so don't allow for a creative thought on my part). Consequently, I seem to be staying in the mode of putting off the inevitable shopping in favor of reading, praying, baking, knitting, etc.

Just to add drama to the whole thing, we sent 5 sheep to slaughter last week. Consequently I have to drive 45 minutes each way tomorrow to pick up the meat, then drive 35 minutes each way in the opposite direction to take the meat to the freezer locker. I just hope the weather cooperates. I'll put a CD in the player and try to maintain peace in the car at least. Thankfully one of those sheep was sold to someone else, so I only have to find boxes for 4 animals worth of meat. The new ownership of the slaughterhouse hasn't accumulated any boxes yet, so it's a BYO situation. On the up side the new owners are markedly nicer to deal with than the old ones.

So here's kudos to those organized people out there who already have their shopping done and their gifts wrapped. I'm still waiting for the adrenaline to kick in, but I certainly have enjoyed the quiet Advent.