Back to Life

After a loooong New Years weekend (we just got back today), we are anything but well-rested and feeling ready to tackle real life again. Actually, tired and in need of sleep is more like it - but no rest for the weary, right?

The phone was ringing when we walked in the door and it was the Midwest Farming Conference coordinator to schedule a meeting to 'talk books'. So, I will be heading to Spring Valley next week to get that all ready to roll which means I better work this week at getting my sh*t together, not an easy thing to do.

The Christmas tree and decorations is the first project back today. There it stands in all it's no-needle glory just waiting for me to try and get the ornaments off, then we can drag it across the dining room and out the front door just to make sure the remaining needles find every crack and crevice of the entire house.

Then on to the mountain of extremely menacing laundry that has grown in the laundry room. With as much as we have been gone, it has basically been - empty one suitcase in to the laundry room, fill it again and head out the door. This could take weeks.

Although all of this seems very ominous at first glance and just seems to make me want to run and hide under my covers and sleep for the rest of the week - there is some feeling of comfort to it too. Just being home and knowing we don't have to go anywhere for awhile and getting back into the normal rountine feels good. The kids certainly won't think so when the dreaded 'school' word is dared to be spoken in the morning - but I think even they are ready.

They have spent the last 3 parent-free days at grandma's house where they have been sledding, going to movies, staying up late, swimming in grandma's hot tub, eating large quantities of sugar and generally living the dream life of every child. Did I say they would be ready to get back to the old routine? Am I drunk? It is going to take a week just to rein them in and remind them just what the old rountine is!

Either way, the holidays were great, but are now over and ready or not, here we come 2006! Please let it bring more time, more energy, a few less clogging trips, good weather for growing vegetables, lots of people that want to eat fresh vegetables, less bills and a 16-year old (she turns 16 tomorrow) that will get her license and won't crash up the family car.

What are your wishes for 2006? Notice I didn't say resolutions - what a waste of time those are!