Oy! Four Days Away!

With only a few days left before Christmas, I’ve noticed quite a rise in traffic on Route-1. Everyone is getting in their last minute shopping, few think they own the store with the way they’re putzing around. I really can’t stand shoppers who wonder aimlessly around a department store and still walk out with nothing. I fully intend to do all of my shopping on Overstock and TigerDirect next year, no question about it.

Sean and I took our annual trip down to Ocean City, MD last night to see the Winter Festival of Lights. It’s a pretty big attraction in O.C. this year but I think it was more enjoyable last year. They had a lot of new lights but there really wasn’t anyone there. Now, I want to assume this is based on the fact that it was only Wednesday but the few that were there – really didn’t make it quite as enjoyable for everyone else around them. A group of girls seated in front of us were having the time of their lives, at everyone elses expense. They were rowdy and like many people they were singing along to the music on the intercom – they weren’t always the right words but at least they were enjoying themselves. I personally can’t stand people like this. Then again, when you see five bubbly blonde’s who will do anything for a photo-opp with their ‘fab friends’ that’s “so going on myspace!” then naturally you’re going to get a headache by the time they’ve left the room. Anyway, Sean brought his new video camera down – I took my digital and we did get some decent shots of the trolley ride, as well as the tree itself. Unfortunately I can’t stabilize my hands for the life of me so all of mine (that didn’t have a flash) turned out horrible. It just would have been nice to have a photo in focus that wasn’t flash based – it really takes away from all of the lights. When the ride was over (Sean filmed it) we took a picture of ourselves in front of the tree and that’s the one you see above.

The goal for the evening was to see the lights and then head over to The Olive TREE. We’ve seen commercials about it and know that Ocean City (in comparison to anywhere in Delaware) has some fairly decent Italian food, so we figured we’d give it a shot. Unfortunately they’re closed until the 26th so we wound up going to Denny’s. I was already annoyed thanks to the blonde’s and now I’m stuck at a fast-food chain that I absolutely can not stand. Our waitress was MIA until the end of the meal, she was serving up some group of brats sitting in the back of the restaurant, she apologized for her lack of service and our dessert was on the house. Needless to say, I only enjoyed my free cheese cake.

The ride home was an experience, we argued a bit and then went to the beach back in Rehoboth for a few minutes so I could attempt to clear my head. The ocean typically has that effect on me but I guess since it was a little too cold for my liking (and trust me, I can handle cold) I wound up walking back to the car almost as quickly as I’d walked away from it. I came back here and just went to bed, I officially crashed around midnight.

I woke up a few times over the course of the evening. First because I was sweating bullets, another to grab a drink because the overly salty fries from had caught up to me, I think the soup played a roll in that as well. The next was around 8am when Karen was yelling at Princess for whatever she’d done wrong. And then for some reason I crashed again and woke up a little after Noon. I wasn’t expecting to sleep for 12 hours but my body just refuses to wake up before Noon for some reason – no matter when I go to sleep.

When I did finally roll out of bed, I was on a mission. The kitchen desperately needed cleaning, as did the living room. I managed to accomplish that knowing that Sean and I needed to run a few errands. First, we needed ink for his printer. I also needed food coloring, icing and cellophane so I could get the platter for Karen completed. And then some other odds and ends from the supermarket so that I can complete the Christmas baking on Monday morning. I know it’s a little early to be buying Strawberries (making a strawberry shortcake for Sean) but there’s no way in hell I’m going to go to the supermarket between now and Monday – even Food Lion is going to be mobbed and no one really shops there!

Karen comes home a little drunk because she’d gone out to lunch with some ladies from work and the boss. She then announced that she was hungry so we all hopped in the car and went to TGI Friday’s, from there it was Dollar Tree, and then dropping Karen off at one of the Tanger Outlets so she could get some shopping done for the people at work. We then headed all the way back towards Dollar Tree to go to Superfresh/Staples (they’re in the same parking lot). I ran into the liquor store and loaded up on a few things. I was going to make Eggnog from scratch but by the time I’m done getting dinner and everything else ready on Christmas I’m not even going to want to bother with that crap so I found a pre-mixed one that includes all of the booze and I guess that should be just fine. According to the sales-clerk the best kind comes from Pennsylvania Dutch so I figured I’d give that one a shot, it was only $13. The Burbhon I was going to buy for the home made was like $35 – so that saved money. Dropping about $75 in Superfresh completed my shopping trip, after I finally found the damn Food Coloring at least, I was going to have a nervous break down considering I haven’t been able to find it in a few days.

We picked up his mom from the outlets, and then finally came home. We ran to Walmart to get some stuff for her because she remembered a few last minute things but the hangover was kicking in at this point so her going out just wasn’t going to happen. Gotta love a company Christmas party! Her party wasn’t completed though. When we did finally get home (and I could take my shoes off for the first time in hours) I ran into my beautifully clean kitchen and cooked my ass off. Four dozen cookies and two dozen cup-cakes later, a platter for Karen to bring in to work tomorrow for the Warehouse boys is finally complete. Throw some celophane on it, add some personal touches thanks to my trusty bracelet kit and slap on a bow – I’m officially BEAT. It turned out pretty nice, I have to say. Unfortunately the tray was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be so I’m about 3 cupcakes short of the half dozen I originally wanted to send. It’s not like it’d make a big deal either way, I’m sure everyone will enjoy the goodies. I’m disappointed in it though, I couldn’t quite get the red color I was looking for on the icing. I stupidly do this every year though, I never get enough food coloring so it’s always some kind of a funky muted pink. Either way they’re covered in sprinkles so hopefully that takes away from the god awful salmon color it’s got going on. Next year I’m going to buy a bigger bottle of the red, I even made a note of it in my cookbook heh.

Tomorrow is going to be a “down” day, I hope. My sciatica is acting up like all holy hell so I really don’t want to be running around the way I’ve been. I’ll finish all of the cleaning that I need to finish, maybe even make my way into the office and do some dusting considering the sneeze attacks Sean’s been having today. I definitely have laundry to do, the small load I did yesterday was really only enough to get me through the next day or so. Besides, all of my GOOD clothes are thrown in a hamper. I’m not going to look frumpy for Christmas, even if there isn’t a camera around.