I pulled the last number to be called for gifts and when it was my turn the only present left was my own. Though it was a very nice Christmas place mat set for four with matching napkins and napkin rings I felt it was sort of rude to essentially say my own gift was more desirable than any of the open presents I could steal so I chose a throw.
We visited late into the afternoon before heading home. I told Jeanette to keep the remaining cupcakes and the Santa plate they were on.
It was a holyday in our church so we went to Mass in the evening. Church was full but Terry and Carol were not there. Maybe they went to a different service.
Friday I did four loads of laundry and prepared the Christmas cards for mailing. Ted made onion soup from scratch complete with toasted French bread covered in cheese and put under the broiler. It was fantastic! I am just going to turn the kitchen over to him.
I drove to Gerre's Saturday, gave her Christmas gifts and two throws, the new one I got at the party plus another one I had, for her church's blanket drive. Then I drove one car of five ladies following Linda's car of five. We drove to Coldspring TX, driving through Punkin TX to get there! The whole town was roped off for a Christmas market. I bought a blouse and one small gift I can't mention. Afterwards we had lunch at The Hop, an old fashioned burger shop complete with a snowman next to the jukebox. Linda spent awhile trying to play some songs. Instead of individual plays like the six for 25 cents we all remembered, you have to choose an album or track and then choose the song. But they were successful in the end.
I drove everyone back home and then continued on to my house. Ted was still at the registered shoot at the gun club so I had a bit of time to take a rest before church. Once again we forgot our Tree gift so Ted had to take it up Sunday morning. After church we went to Kathleen and Bill's for our Couples Shanghai Christmas party. The food was great, the wine flowed and we had lots of fun trying to get the annual group photo with a timed camera nobody seemed to know how to work! I never did see the finished print. Neither Ted nor I won at our tables but we had a good time playing. It was almost 11:30 before we got home.
Ted shot on Sunday and then asked if I wanted to attend the German Christmas Market in the town south of us when he was finished. I was just too tired! I started gathering my things to pack to see how I was going to accomplish getting everything into a carry-on. Other than dinner with the entire family on Sunday we have no other plans so casual clothes will work.
Monday was lunch and Canasta at Cathy's. We normally don't do lunch, just appetizers, but she wanted to make the December one more festive. Talk about lousy cards! I never moved from my seat and ended up with 11,000 and it takes 27 or 28,000 usually to be first. But I got my dollar back for being in last place.
Tuesday was intake day at the Methodist church for the Women's Shelter. I arrived at 9:00 and immediately had to call Ted to bring our dolly over because no one had one and it was needed! We have 101 families selected to be individually given to donors who request a family. All those packages, boxes and bicycles were arriving. Then there is Shelter Santa where toys, books, toiletries, clothes, PJs, etc. are collected to be used throughout the year at the Shelter. Clubs, organizations, companies and individuals buy from a list provided, in any quantity. Normally there is a Shelter employee who sorts these things and we will have a dozen tables plus the area underneath. Well this year there was no lady at 9 am. Usually the tables are marked so Judy and I just started sorting, creating table subjects as needed. Toys, games, creative arts, boys clothes, girls clothes, women's clothes, toiletries, electronics, etc.
We were doing okay until the Corvette Club came at noon and dropped off stuff from 16 cars.
By the time we got it all to the back, everyone returned to the front and Dale joined us but we couldn't get caught up. More and more stuff kept coming in. Then Dale started feeling bad and left. They kept bringing more stuff and we said several times we needed help. Finally the Shelter lady came at 1 pm. But she started regrouping things and packing things up for the drivers to pick up on Wednesday. That gave us more room but everytime we got the table cleared, more came in. Finally two gals realized that Judy and I were supposed to leave at 1:30, it was now 2:00, and the table was still full. They all pitched in and Judy and I finally left at 3:00 leaving two ladies in the back to work with the Shelter lady. I came home and laid down with frozen peas and carrots on my lower back!
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