Hi Neighbor!

Even though my children are now the respective ages of 21, 18, and 15, it does not preclude me from threatening them with the potential dereliction of duties by fictitious characters on designated holidays.  Case in point…a few weeks ago, my youngest and only son was being a bit sassy.  I admonished him, “You better watch yourself.  Easter is right around the corner.  I’m sure that the Easter Bunny is hanging around and listening to our conversations.  You don’t want to wake up to an empty basket.”  Not even acknowledging my reference to the ludicrous idea that a huge mammal might be hopping its way into homes near and far to deliver sugar-laden sweets and trinkets to deserving children, he responded, “Mom, who are you kidding?  You’ve probably had our Easter baskets ready for months.”  He said this like it was a bad thing!

Sad, but true, I had had his and his sisters’ Easter baskets prepared for months.  I can’t stand to be unprepared and most never procrastinate.  What that lends itself to is an avid shopper who is always on the lookout for things that resonate with her.  The perfect gift for Sam, the just right accessory for Suzy…you get the point.

During the early years of our marriage, I returned from a shopping excursion to show my husband my score; the perfect wedding outfit.  With his typical pragmatism, he asked, “Do we have an upcoming wedding?”  “No, we do not.” I responded.  “But when we do, I’ll have the perfect outfit.”  Rookie!

I have no idea if my penchant for preparedness has saved me any money over the years.  That was never really the point anyway.  What I do know is that you won’t catch me standing in long lines at any stores just before closing on the eve of a major holiday.  Perhaps there’s a last minute thrill or discount that I’m missing out on that I’ll never know.  I take comfort in the fact that I will not suffer any self-inflicted anxiety from last minuteness.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to start my Christmas shopping;)

Preparedly yours,
Gina