If All Shopping Was This Easy

  I admit it.  I am slacking.  The Little Bayou House is still not fully decorated, the shopping has yet to be finished and not one cookie has been baked.  Pain in my right side has kept me from doing all of the things that I love to do during the holiday season.  For the past four months, I have been prodded, poked and given all sorts of medicines. (None of which helped. by the way.)  Then as quickly as the pain came, it disappeared...for one day.  One day!  I was pain free yesterday and accomplished more in that twenty four hours than I have in months. This morning, thinking all was well, I started with gusto!  I was painting gourds at 5am and decorating the toy room for the kiddos by 7am.  All was going well until 8am.  Then, as I reached up to hang garland, I felt the stabbing pains return.  Ugh!  When will this stop?  I doubled over in agony and the garland still dangles precariously from the shelf.  It can wait.

  Yesterday, Darling Daughter, Elizabeth did take me shopping but after several hours of searching for decorations for her house, I bought one gift....for her.  While I pondered over several gifts for others, she spied lamps for her porch and lamented that she would love to have them.  Yep, I stole her idea.  She is now getting four solar lamps as her gift.  I have to admit that they are really nice lamps.  I had a grand idea of getting a porch swing for her but who knew that they would be out of stock during December?  Doesn't everybody sit on their front porch in the dead of winter?  Obviously not.  So, the lamps will suffice and perhaps the swing can be an anniversary gift later in May.  I (and she) was happy with my purchase.  Still, that does not mark a lot of folks off of my shopping list.  

  Hopefully, I will complete all of the pending chores in time for the big day but if not, folks will just have to understand.  One day of being pain free is just not enough.  I am trying....I am trying.  I do have Elizabeth's gift, though! Now if I could just get everyone else to tell me what they would like, life would be easier.