Sunday, January 3, 2010

New Year Begins


Well, I did it. I (almost) completely UN-decorated my house yesterday in 10 hours. If you know me (and my home) I LOVE to decorate...Christmas being the most beloved holiday. All knickknacks, pictures, even dish towels are taken down and replaced with themed versions of Christmas bliss...This year my family had a wonderfully full and quiet holiday. Yesterday was one of the days of the year that I dread...The end of the festivities and the time to take everything down. It is not so much I mind that everything looks stark and bare as some people do; I have come to enjoy the bareness of my walls and shelves as a calming break to rejuvenate my mind for the upcoming year. It is simply the work and temporary mess that I dislike. Yesterday I armed myself in body and spirit for the task that lay ahead. Out came the sweeper (to suck up all of those pine needles and Styrofoam pieced that break off from packaging), bucket full of soapy, hot water to wipe down the areas not dusted after swags have been lying on them for a month, turned on some instrumental tunes and pured myself some Diet Coke with lots of ice in an elegant crystal glass. I was ready! Ten hours later, twenty totes and 10 garbage bags all of the decorations are safely packed away until the Christmas season comes next year. Thankfully, I have two strong teenage sons who help with carrying all that to the third floor. I did not get to the wreaths hanging outside on the house windows. The temperature today compares with the Arctic so that will have to wait for a thaw!

I feel wonderful! A task accomplished and accomplished well.