Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Let the celebrations begin

My memoir classes had a reunion holiday party tonight, for me the first party of the season. Some of these ladies know each other very very well, from sharing their memoirs; others, from different classes, had never met. Yet they all chattered and gossiped and had a wonderful time. We were each to wrap and bring a book that we were ready to pass on to someone else, and then we had a Chinese auction. Elizabeth said she'd never seen such a cut-throat auction, but people kept "stealing" other people's books--for a moment I had a Joanna Fluke cozy that I was really looking forward to reading, but someone stole it, and I ended with a Mary Higgins Clark--hers are terrific mysteries but a bit scary to read when one is home alone. We had great refreshments--including latkes, which I'd been missing, and spanikopita, which I love. Altogether a simply wonderful evening.
'Tis the season in other ways. It seems I spend my time running errands. Today it was a haircut, followed by a trip to get  festive paper plates (does everyone realize how expensive they've become?), then a trip to DSW to look for everyday shoes for me. Nada. The one pair that might have been okay was only ten dollars cheaper than the really neat Merrells I ordered yesterday. Then to the camera shop to leave Jordan's camera to be repaired--6-8 weeks and $125. Oh, my! More errands tomorrow. I can see the Christmas season rushing by without much writing done but, hey, that's okay. I set my own deadlines, and all this holiday stuff makes me happy. That's what retirement is about--doing what you want to do. Though that small voice inside me adds, "Make sure you do for others." Does taking Jordan's camera to the repair shop--which I had a hard time finding--count?

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