Mamacita says:  If I tell you that I’ve got most of my Christmas shopping done, would you still love me?  No?  Um, then I’m nowhere NEAR finished yet.

1.  I haven’t put my Christmas cd’s in the player.  But I want to.

2.  I haven’t covered my rosebushes even though it’s supposed to freeze tomorrow.

3.  I haven’t done laundry for several days, nor have I checked the washer for possible mildew problems due to lack of checking.

4.  I’ve been sewing for over a week now, but I haven’t swept up the mess I make when sewing; so far, I’ve just waited until I can get a handful and I do it like that.  It doesn’t take care of little threads, etc., but I honestly don’t care.  In fact, I kind of like to see that sort of mess on the floor.  It means, someone in this house is crafting, and it’s ME.

5.  I. . . bought a new dress.  But I haven’t tried it on yet.

6.  I’m planning out my Thanksgiving dinnerS, but I haven’t purchased any of the items yet.  Did you notice the plural-ness of “dinners?”  I’ve having TWO reunions here this year, and I’m so excited and happy I can’t even think clearly about it yet.  I do plan to sweep up my sewing mess before then, though.  Some of those relatives notice things like that.  Note to self:  two-ply toilet paper. . . .

7.  I’m not used to daylight savings time.  What are we saving it for, Leap Year?

8.  I haven’t done my early voting yet, but I fully intend to, as soon as I find out where it is.  In any case, I’m going to vote, and you’d all better vote, too.  People who don’t vote forfeit all whining rights, and whining is fun.  I’m serious:  people who don’t vote had better shut the hell up for four years.

9.  I still don’t suffer fools gladly, but I don’t want to, either.  Fools have no business being suffered gladly.  Fools are the reason we have to have laws.  Fools are the reason the rest of the population have to endure a lot of pain and discomfort and inconvenience and ignorant regulations.  No, I have no desire to suffer fools gladly, and I don’t think YOU should, either.

10.  I still haven’t won the lottery.  I suppose that has something to do with the fact that I don’t buy tickets, but even so.  Winning would sure solve a lot of my problems.  Not ALL of them, because money isn’t everything, you know, but it would solve enough to make it worth while.

Last Thursday, I gave my first Midterm Exam.  This week, I give the rest of them.  Please wish my students luck.  Most of them try so hard, and really work, and I want them to do well.

Also?  My house smells like the five pounds of fudge I made tonight for the Youth Center downtown’s Monday night snack.  You know that description in the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where skinny impoverished little Charlie Bucket has to walk past the Wonka Factory every day on his way to and from school, and he stops by the gate and inhales deeply as if to get nourishment from the SMELL of the chocolate?

That’s my house tonight.  Come on over and have a smell.  That’s all I get, you know.  Darn diabetes.

Sometimes, though, it’s enough.

P.S.  I hate it that the Political Correctness Police got their hands on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Adults have such a difficult time with context, don’t they.  Children are MUCH better at it.

Stupid censors.