christmas perceptions vs. christmas realities ....

i am the kind of girl that likes to do the slow and steady thing leading up to christmas ... i like getting some of my gifts made and bought in october and november ... i dislike most shopping on a good day ... and i hate it infinitely when there are crowds and pressure to buy because of a looming calendar deadline ... so ....e, are you about ready for christmas? nope, not at all ... in fact ... i wrote a novel in november ... and ... well .. that's all .... novel writing month is over and has segued into what? laundry month, why haven't you cleaned your desk in an eon month, did you forget it was christmas time month, you shirked your responsibilities for too long now get with the program month .... we'll see .... 

so .... my usual ducks in a row self is a titch discombobulated ... but ... well ... let's embrace that .... for instance, i COULD say, look a these lovely christmas topiaries.....lovely, right.....

well ... i thought about polishing that tray ... 

wait ... no i didn't ... i thought, that's good enough without polishing .... and i slaved away for hours lining up all my gumdrops just so ..... or ... the reality of it ..... i made everyone else do it with me .... 
and my kitchen area still has a good coating of sugar on it .... well .... it might not any more since my dog spent the whole day licking the floor today ..... four days after the topiary gum drop sugar fiesta she has finally decided to lick the sugar and the polish off the floors .... bless her .....

and then ... the perception of this lovely spot in my home .......
oh look .... hope, dream, wish .... lovely christmas sentiments and some bright baubles above.. but what does dear mr.e.beck.artist say? every time he walks into the kitchen he thinks he's at a motivational seminar and is annoyed that someone is DEMADING for him to hope and wish and dream .... uh huh ... he says that .... 

and then ...  the last little bit of christmas decorating ... i waited to order this tree online (treetopia.com) until i could have it delivered and not have to tote it down to the basement ... i wanted it to be delivered the friday or saturday after thanksgiving so that i could get it and put it right up ... but ... when did it come? the day before thanksgiving .... i could tote it down to the basement ... or put it up ... but instead, i just kept that big ole box by the front door ... i was busy writing a novel .... no one will notice a four foot tall tree box holding a five foot tall tree ... (how does that work? )
the day after thanksgiving ..... between pumpkin pie and apple pie if you were in on that whole (wildly succesful) pie week extravaganza ... girl.beck.artist put it up and then we all did a bit to help her get it decorated .... the color is a bit off in the pic .... i had to desaturate the picture ... somehow it is just too bright to take a good picture of ...kind of like trying to take a picture of the sun .... 

so there you have it ... gumdrop topiaries, charming christmas sentiments, and quirky christmas trees ..... realities and perceptions aren't quite aligned .... but in the long run, what's it matter? i wrote a novel AND i have an orange tree .... life is good, huh?

oh ... ps.... i'm pushing publish without editing ... sorry 'bout that !