I was in a bit of a grumpy mood. Company was coming... though I didn't know how many. Ten? Twenty? Who today? Tomorrow? The person who'd offered to help clean was not feeling well, and wisely staying away, while I, of course, had left a lot of those chores to the last. C'mon, a lot of that made sense: why empty the still-mostly-empty wastebaskets when two more days of trash were still to go in? Why extend tables this early when they'd mostly be blocking paths? Decorate them later too. Why clean the floor a week early when lots more would be dropped - or dripped - on it? Same with dishes: there would be a plentiful supply of them once the "do ahead of time" food prep was, well, prepped, so why not do it all at once? I'd had to work for a couple hours in the morning I hadn't planned on earlier in the week so it was just all mounting up, and suddenly there was only an hour left till the first guests were due to arrive.
I needed some lunch.
Then there was the phone call from younger guests asking if it was "still OK" if they came over (?!) and could they maybe show up a bit early? I overheard some of the conversation, and the caller sounded upset. Of course they were welcomed! No question in the world about it, just some unvoiced ones until later to each other about what might be causing the upset we picked up from the voice. It just meant I had to put off lunch yet another hour when I was already feeling an energy low plus a need to tuck my feet up for a bit, and do that last-second run to the store that was suddenly needed when shopping lists had been made and fulfilled the day before. Except this one wasn't, because first Steve needed things, then didn't, then finally decided he did after all... right when I needed fewer things on my to-do list rather than more. I guess my early afternoon shower wasn't happening after all.
Sighhhhhh....
He swore I didn't stink. And my cowlicks were laying down for a change.
At least the weather was warm, meaning snow was melting off the roads. And the local store was close and still open, even if pricey. Of course, I'd make up for less driving time by more hunting through the shelves, since I was usually happy to drive farther for low prices, and not that familiar with this store. Plus I'd already driven right past it earlier that morning, on my route between work and the post office where I popped in to find out why a priority package was on the east coast instead of the west, and what could we do now that tracking claimed it was delivered... somewhere... thousands of miles away from its goal. I mean, how does a package leaving Minnesota for Oregon wind up in New Hampshire? At least they verified it was not infact delivered, but still on a truck, arriving late but still on its way, apparenty enjoying the scenic route.
As I parked in the unusually jammed parking lot for the grocery store, I was mentally going over his list and trying to figure out whether there was anything I needed to add while I was there. There was NOT going to be another last minute run!
Thus preoccupied, I was totally startled by a very warm "Merry Christmas" from a complere stranger coming out of the store on the way to her car as she aproached me heading in. Seeing it was for me, I smiled at her, thanked her, and offered her a heartfelt one in return.
It had been a gift, the best kind, totally unexpected, a nice wish from somebody who could tell I needed one right then. It worked.
Once in the packed store, the feeling persisted. I found what I needed, added a few last minute things to help set amore festive mood at the tables, and actually noticed the shoppers around me. We were all happy! When carts bumped, people smiled, apologized, laughed, and moved on. People waited for the person ahead to choose the exact right item before reaching in for theirs. They might even chat with the next person behind them while waiting.
When I finally reached check-out, I paused a moment to decide which line I wanted to get into, and a man coming from a different direction waited for me to choose. I smiled at him, aplogized for my delay, due to mentally double-checking my list, and he offered that he was still doing the same thing.
It ran all through the store! People leaving were greeting new arrivals in the parking lot, folks waited patiently for an open parking slot. There didn't seem to be a bad mood in the place, including mine, and the feeling lasted till well after I got back home and my to-do list vied for attention again.
Lunch? How about a few pieces of the holiday candies I'd picked up last minute to fill centerpieces for the tables? Mmmmmmm! Later a certain four-year-old had just as much enjoyment from them (with his mother's blessing - I checked) as I'd had, and his older sister had, and Steve had....
The day ended with a houseful of children's giggles as they played tickle and destroyed all the spare empty boxes set out for such entertainment. No fancy holiday choir music could possibly compare.
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