Busy day. After breakfast and the crossword (challenging), I left for Dudley House at 10:00. It was, of course, decorated beautifully downstairs and up, as ever, but I was resolved not to look and definitely not to buy.
It had rained earlier, but stopped by the time I bused there. My volunteer hours were 11:00 to 1:00 and I was a wrapper. That just meant removing the price tags from items, passing them to Jan to ring up, then wrapping them in tissue, if fragile, and bagging. It was fun to chat and joke with our customers and I enjoyed it. Also enjoyed viewing the beautiful Christmas items, including this handmade doll house:
It's an exquisite Victorian home, certainly four feet high and I assume some little girl will be thrilled on Christmas morning; must have cost five or more hundred.
My stint ended at 1:00 and, although it was windy and cold, I walked the mile or so to the transit center and caught the 10 home. There, I found I found a gift bag at my door. In it were presents from Suzanne: a pretty, light-up lantern, a homemade note card, and a personal Christmas letter, with pictures. I heard her outside shortly after and asked her in. I thanked her, we chatted, and I invited her to dinner next weekend. Will ask Vickie and Jim, too.
I then set to food prep. Took me an hour, but I zested two large oranges, diced a green pepper, then six onions; julienned two other onions after, and cooked up an acorn squash. Stowed all but the last in the freezer, as I want to make turkey stir-fry soon. I'll make orange cake on Friday for my company over the weekend.
After that, it was a long-put off chore: clearing the hall closet and rearranging the contents. That took a full hour, but at least, I know where everything is now.
Called Jim to invite him to dinner with us next weekend, whether Saturday or Sunday depends on Vickie's schedule--I'll text her today. Jim also said he wants to take me out for my birthday. Fine by me, although Julie's taking me to Santa Barbara on the day of, so we'll make it after that.
Note: I have NO IDEA why I can't get the text to go to the left. Something changed up top and now I can't find the margin control. But I'm not going to get all mad about it--see the following.
Additional Note: My friend, Pat, had a problem with scheduling and wrote on her blog that she reacted with annoyance to someone. Later, she thought better of it and apologized to the other person. That resonated with me, although it didn't involve anyone else: When I found out the two-dollar extra little gift for my grandson would cost $17.90 in postage to Japan, I didn't chastise the postal worker, but went into my usual fury mode internally: "Damn, I went to some trouble wrapping the thing, walked three blocks to the post office, stood in line for twenty minutes, and all for nothing!" When I started walking home, though, I realized how stupid that was. K. will never miss it, I'll write him (and Vivian and Violet) letters with pictures of their Dads as kids and they'll enjoy that. I'll ask Ellen if she wants the pen for one of her third-graders. By the time I got home, I was relieved to consciously know I shrugged it off and went on about my day.
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