There’s Nothing Like a Deadline…

There’s nothing like a deadline to really kick you in the pants and get your rear in gear.  Seriously.

I have two to speak of at the moment.  They happen every year.  I don’t know why I procrastinate every single time.  I don’t ever procrastinate this badly at work.  But it’s like my brain refuses to acknowledge these two holidays until they’re right on top of me.  You know the ones I’m talking about.  Thanksgiving and Christmas (or insert your own favorite gift-giving bonanza here).

Generally, Thanksgiving isn’t all that stressful for me.  I usually go to my family then, and so all the stress of hosting falls to them.  Though I do try to be a good daughter and help with the Christmas caroling while making dinner.  I’m only slightly crafty in the kitchen, so I don’t get more important chores than cleaning up, chopping veggies, and smelling the dressing for the right dosage of sage.

This year, however, I’m the hostess.  Albeit for a much smaller crowd of four.  Which means I’ve got to call upon my turkey roasting experience and remember how to read my grandmother’s homemade cornbread dressing recipe.  All while using a gas oven that I have a suspicion is just a little bit off on temperature.  It’ll be an adventure!  It also means that I have to finish unpacking what I’ll need for the week Fiancé’s mother and brother are here, and setting up the house so that it’s presentable.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been working on that part – a little each week.  We’re nearly there, except that I still haven’t managed to find the moving box containing my recipe box… which is kind of an essential item.  But I have faith, it’ll turn up, most likely the day after they’ve gone home.

We have another round of house guests the first weekend in December.  Friends this time, so less stressful.  That will just mean that I’ve managed to keep the house looking presentable for two weeks in a row.  My family will acknowledge this to be an oddity.  I can’t help it, I’m a piler, not a filer, and “maid service” is not in my job description.  Although I did get the cleaning nazi bug this past Saturday afternoon and scrubbed nearly everything from top to bottom.  Shocking, I know!

Then there’s Christmas.  Need I say more?  There are gifts to be made, bought, and shipped!  The biggest deadline on the calendar and I’ve let it slip up on me.  We’re going to visit the family this year.  Which means, unlike for Thanksgiving, there are many more preparations to be made.  Gifts must be shipped, not to mention made.  Shipping has to take the holiday rush into account, so the gifts must be completed early.  I can’t just pile everything in the car and hit the road – we’re flying this time.  I just looked at a calendar this morning to work out how many actual days I have left to get everything made.  Here I had been thinking I had a full two weeks more than I really have.  Darnit!  I think I’m going to need to plan for a few items in my suitcase.  Amazon to the rescue for anything that falls outside the window.

But I have a plan now.  “Planning” is in my job description, after all.  It’ll be tight, but I think I’ll make it.  I’ve just gotta get to work!