Sunday, December 19, 2010

Things that are lining up this week


Total Lunar Eclipse
E. Weiß: "Bilderatlas der Sternenwelt" Published, 1888.

Today there will be a gift wrapping assembly line in my dining room. Of course, I'll do none of it until Stinkerbell McBookeater goes home this evening. She's coming around noon, but if I wrap any gifts while she's here, she'll unwrap them all until she finds something that interests her. When she was little, it took awhile to find humor in that particular behavior because the others would protest when they didn't have anything to open themselves. This kid loved to celebrate and in her mind, every party was all about her--especially the gifts. Instead, we'll bake a few cookies while she's here. She loves doing that, too. Well, not exactly the baking part, but the snitching of cookies part.

I'm entering the second half of my long 4 day weekend work respite. While I usually try to keep up with at least reading the work obituaries (sick, I know), I can't this time. My laptop went in for an upgrade on Friday and the I.T. guru took my Blackberry, too. I thought I'd have withdrawal symptoms, but until I wrote this, I actually didn't think once about checking my emails. Since I get about 30 work related missives a day, there will be a price to pay on Tuesday with a minimum of 90 emails to sift through and answer. I expect I'll be a little busy that day. My girlfriend told me she deletes all of her work emails without reading any of them even though once in awhile, she deletes something she was supposed to have read and responded to in a timely manner. I wish I was that brave.

Speaking of Tuesday and things that line up, did you notice the full moon and the winter solstice have lined up for the first time in 11 years? Add the full eclipse of the moon, and that's an alignment that's not occurred since 1638. Evidently, I paid no attention to the calendar when selecting my long weekend off and chose that exact day to return. I'm trying hard not to worry about it beforehand, but I'm a superstitious wench. Just can't help myself. Perhaps I should try to put a different spin on this news...maybe it's a good alignment and I should go out and buy those lottery tickets now. The Megamillions jackpot will be $145 million and the drawing is Tuesday.

For a real change this year, I have both Christmas Eve and Christmas off from work. Since starting this job, I've always had Christmas off, but the night before has always been treated like any other weekday and my beloved schedulers have always loaded me up to prove they're heartless a point. I'm 2 for 2 in having someone die on Christmas Eve, too, so this is an especially welcome line up for me.

How is your week lining up?

16 comments:

Stephanie V said...

First off - let's look at it as a good alignment. The eclipse is so canceling out the full moon effect. Second, I'm impressed that you're wrapping gifts already. That's always been a kind of last minute thing for me. Probably because gifts are still on the needles or on the sewing table until the last minute.
Happy wrapping!

SkippyMom said...

Well - um, the last sentence was a bit disturbing. I can't imagine, nor do I want to, but I am sorry that happened.

Thank goodness you have two days of that is a bonus.

I am glad that you will be able to enjoy your holiday with the family. [and us!!!!!! lol]

Jane said...

So glad you get to spend Christmas with your family. Nothing wrapped here yet, but we should be off to the tree farm to get our tree today, which is always a family affair.

Celia said...

I'm working Christmas eve, but not Christmas. I requested it off, because it's baby boy's first Christmas.

I'm so glad you are off for both days. Don't overload yourself with entertaining the familia.

Merry Christmas!

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

my week? don't ask! ha ha

anyway it's all better now and there is a big pot of soup on the stove and it's smelling wonderful here!

happy baking and wrapping!

smiles, bee
xxxoxoxoxox

Brenda said...

So what kind of cookies are you making? Hope all goes well for your holiday. Merry Christmas to you and your whole family..if I don't talk to you before then!

sandy said...

Yeah about that eclipse, cool.

Sounds like you are enjoying your time off. Good for you.

debra said...

that full moon, solstice and lunar eclipse are also my baby's 19th birthday. Fasten your seat belts.

The Bug said...

I heard that mercury is retrograde too - whatever that means. I wish you luck!

ari_1965 said...

Rudely shoving your post over on the table until it falls on the floor and the dog starts eating it, I focus instead on what I want to focus on:

Did you see this blog post? I love this hat. I want to make this hat, but with even longer wigglers so they really wiggle and people look at my weird hat and think What the hell?

Link to post with hat. I think Diane says something about Ravelry, too.

Rudee said...

Brenda, I'm making sour cream cut outs, but can't find my cookie cutters. Every cookie will be round. I'm also baking Cherry Winks, honey bread and already baked 6 loaves of walnut bread. The house smelled of that earthy-yeasty smell. Ummm.

Ari, that's a great way to try out dreads with no commitment of real hair. Go for it.

Winifred said...

That's lovely having Christmas Eve off too. I've always really enjoyed it getting ready and going to Midnight Mass was wonderful. Sad because of the drunks it's been moved to early evening.

I'm getting more organised since I retired, I wrap as I go. Still got a few presents to buy this week and if it continues to snow, they may not get anything. Never mind I have all the grandchildren's presents sorted and that's the main thing.

The flipping internet has been on the blink for about 3 weeks and heating has gone off yet again and we have more snow. So much for getting a new combi boiler and helping save the planet!

The house is an absolute tip and I have no decorations up yet, all still in the loft until hubsband climbs up there. Have to take the eldest grandson to the orthodontist next week as his brace is giving him gyp and I'll be looking after two grandchildren when they finish school on Wednesday. So no doubt the house will still be a tip on Christmas Eve.

Have a lovely Christmas and a wonderful year in 2011!

Ruth said...

Thinga are lining up in the south as well - have nearly done the Christmas shopping have wraped what I have,Chrsitmas Day is not here so don't have to clean house ( wouldn't anyway). Only have to buy a ham for Christmas to take to son's house - its going to be 36C 100F we are having make your own pizza and pavlova (moving right away from anything traditional) Then going on a weeks holiday ( Singpaore and Binatn Island ) after my Dads birthday on the 27th. I even have wrapped hubbies birthday present for the 5th Jan, feeling slightly organised - not being a nurse for 4 weeks - just have to sort out bussiness accounts and then I'll be really happy

laurie said...

this months moves so fast, doesn't it? i'm glad you get those days off. i have to work 1/2 day on christmas eve.

Devon said...

Yikes... I thought I was the only one who read the obits to see which patients have passed on!

I'm working in a crazy rain storm today and tomorrow... 2 inches per hour at times today with 23 mph winds... makes me want a nice hospital job.

Good luck with the wrapping. BTW, how is Leo liking the tree?

Lisa L said...

I'm 2 for 2 in having someone die on Christmas Eve, too, so this is an especially welcome line up for me.

I come on call for the xmas weekend at precisely 8am, today, 12/24....please may i not have your 2 for 2 experience! unrelated, our oldest Jess got married on the lunar eclipse! I want to see it as a good thing :)