Nightmare Before Christmas

About a week ago, the cold and flu train roared through my house, running me over and leaving me flattened in it's wake.

I pretty much crawled into bed on Sunday, December 15th…and that's the last thing that I remember. I didn't really, truly emerge until yesterday. That's when I somewhat foggily awoke from my cold-induced, drug-fed coma, and realized that Christmas was a mere three days away.

Wait, what?

Three days away???!!

Well…damn.

I LOST AN ENTIRE WEEK OF MY LIFE DURING THE MOST BUSIEST, STRESSFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!!!!!

Sigh.

If that isn't bad enough, I also realized that we are having a party. Tonight. For about forty people.

Here. At my house.

The house that LOOKS like I've been in a cold-induced, drug-fed coma for a week.

Double-damn.

I keep waiting for someone to tell me I've been punk'd, and that this is all a bad dream - but no such luck. It's real. It's happening. Our annual Reindeer Games is ON like Donkey Kong…(it was supposed to be Saturday night, but was postponed due to the weather. Gah.)

So…I may not have the house perfect tonight…and that's okay. My tinsel may be dusty, and my Christmas tree may have enough cobwebs on it to look more like Halloween…and that's okay.

I may not have all of the planned baking done…and that's okay. My dips may be warm, and my veggies not-so-chopped…and that's okay.

There will be food, but perhaps not gourmet…and there will be cold beer and delicious wine…and there will be a house full of people that hopefully won't care about the dust and the cobwebs and the lack of fresh, baked cookies and breads…. Family and friends are forgiving like that.

So…off to get things ready. I'm going to at least dust off the stereo.

Peace.