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I have a confession to make.
As of this writing I haven’t put up my Christmas decorations. No tree, no garlands atop the bookcase, not even a “Welcome Santa” door mat. It isn’t that I lack the Christmas spirit, it’s just that dang dining room table.
Yes, I’m blaming a table for my lack of performance, and some of you will know too well what I’m talking about. No matter how hard I try to be neat and tidy, my dining room table always ends up as a catch-all for ‘stuff.”
Unfortunately, it’s also the starting point of my Christmas decorating. I cover it with a pretty red sparkly tablecloth and set a small but festive fiber optics tree on the side facing the wall and plug it in. Just this simple act changes the entire aura in the house. Once the dining room table is decorated, I am always inspired to continue in the rest of the house.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get an early start on clearing the table this year. I should have cleared it immediately after Thanksgiving dinner when the last aroma of roast turkey dissipated, and the final dish had been set back in the cupboard leaving a nice clean surface.
But I procrastinated, telling myself that I’d do it the next day. I should have seized the moment. I didn’t so it didn’t get cleared, and the pile-up began. As of today, the surface of the table holds hodgepodge of things: one empty crockpot looking for a home in my cupboards, a radio(the only one that has decent reception and allowing me to listen to Duluth or WTIP) three cans of special dog food recommended by the veterinarian: several printed sheets of instructions for the dog’s feeding regimen, a beautiful poinsettia my husband bought at the local flower shop, a silverware holder containing an assortment of tableware, useful for impromptu dinners or desserts when everyone helps themselves.
Last but not least, a large New Orleans commemorative plate found in my basement just recently with a note on its back from Grandma K, designated to my son. I set it on the dining room table, so I wouldn’t forget to give it to him.
Knowing things will pile up, I try to be optimistic. Somehow, between now and Christmas Eve, I will get the decorations in place, and all will be well.
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