Phew! Only one more holiday to go! But New Years is kid’s stuff compared to the Big Enchilada: Christmas. What a production! I feel like a Mack truck hit me, but, you know, in a good sort of way. I wish I could be more relaxed about these things; having the house clean and not getting so caught up in making everything just right. But at this point, it’s kind of hard to change. My sister Irene’s the same way. Tidiness was passed down to us from our mother, who got it from her mother. It’s worth all the hard work, though, seeing the family gathered ‘round, talking and eating and laughing, and eating some …

Down to the A&P, thing are hopping, as you’d expect. Busy, busy, busy! We’re selling poinsettias and wreaths up the yin-yang. There was one small spot of gloominess on Friday. My co-worker Courtney was all shook up because she’d started getting Christmas cards from some of the customers. She’s in her early twenties, and still in the process of figuring out what she wants to do with her life. “What’s wrong with getting cards from customers?” I ask her. “Don’t take this personal, Ida,” Courtney replies, all mopey-faced, “but I think it means I’ve been working here too long.” “No offense taken, Courtney. But you know, there might be another way of looking at it. …

Now, I don’t know if you know, but the Women Who Run With the Moose, (Celeste, Rita, Betty, Dot, Shirley and me) are big into crafts. We just love to get together and cut, paste and hot-glue. Then we put sequins on everything to cover up the boo boos! We usually spend half the year trying out different ideas, see if anything flies. When we find one with potential, we focus on that for the last half of the year, in preparation for the Christmas Bazaar down to St. Hyacinth’s. I come up with our item last year and it was pure inspiration, if I do say so myself. It happened one night when Charlie …

The holiday spirit is upon us! Mahoosuc Mills is getting ready for the Down Home Holiday Festival next weekend, and they just put up the tree down to Town Hall, the one with stars on it. On each star is a request for a present from a kid in town. You know, a kid whose family needs a little help. Some of them will just break your heart: a Barbie doll, Play Dough, a new winter hat and mittens. I mean, these kids have nothing. Anyone can go down there, take a star, buy the present, wrap it and drop it back to the Town Hall. If there are any stars left over, the Knights …

Me and the Women Who Run With the Moose not only survived Black Friday, we had a heck of a good time to boot. Nothing new there. Though, to be honest, my right arm is still feeling a little wonky. Must’ve strained it carrying all those shopping bags. And my purse, of course, which my sister Irene calls “the overnight bag.” Even though I try to remember to switch off, I always tend to carry the heaviest stuff with my right arm. Gotta say, smart phones and texting have made things so much easier. For a casual shopping trip, me and the girls tend to stick together. But all bets are off on Black Friday …

When was the last time you screamed? I mean really let loose? I think mine must be riding the roller coaster down to the Skowhegan Fair eons ago. That was until the Halloween Spook-tacular at the Buchard’s Farm. See, last Thursday morning, I says to Charlie, “Why don’t we check out that haunted tour thingy over to the Buchards tonight?” “We already did that.” “Years ago. Come on. It’ll be fun.” Famous last words. First off, it was warm, like 70 degrees. You’d think that would be great, right? But it felt kinda unnatural and only served to heighten the spooky factor. Everything starts off kinda cozy at the farm stand. We’re put in a …

Holy guacamole! It’s October! People are buy pumpkins and soon they’ll be carving them. Can turkey with all the fixin’s and the fat guy in the red suit be far away? This year, Charlie and me are hoping to go the Topsfield Fair, down in Massachusetts, and check out their Giant Pumpkin Contest. We’ve never been, and I think it’s high time we do. I’ll keep you posted. Our neighbor Gretchen made us aware of this contest a few years ago, when she followed her passion and grew a giant pumpkin. That baby was something to behold. Godzilla, they called it, and it topped out at just under four hundred pounds. Gretchen says that’s small …

Ah, Valentine’s Day: that’s a favorite of mine. As a cashier down to the A&P, I get to see first-hand all the nice stuff folks buy for their honeys: cards, red roses, and sweets for their sweeties. Plus, I get to wear red, which looks good on me (it’s in my color wheel). And, of course, it’s a chance for Charlie to give me a box of chocolates and for me to bake him a batch of his favorite cookies. They’re your basic oatmeal raisin, except I use Raisinettes, so you get the chocolate and raisin thing going. Try it. They’re delicious! Valentine’s Day also signals that we only have about six more weeks of …

Ladies, you know how you can ask, then bug and, I’ll admit it, nag your husband to do something? Then all of a sudden, he does it at the least convenient time possible! Like when the hand towel rack in our guest bath had gotten kind of rickety and I put it on Charlie’s honey do list. There it stayed for, oh, six months. Then on the day I’m hosting my book group’s annual cookie swap, Charlie decides to fix it. Seriously! And of course, it’s not an easy tighten a screw solution. No siree bob, we’re talking drilling, and patching holes and maybe a little touch up paint and why move the throw rug …

We all know I love Christmas, there’s not double about that. But sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. ‘Course it would help if stores didn’t start putting out their Christmas stuff before Halloween. I say, let Tom Turkey have his day. No decorations up before Thanksgiving. That way it stays special. Still, my holiday spirit is shining bright. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Charlie. He’s not as big on Christmas as I am to begin with. I know, that’s hard to believe. Sure, he had fun playing Santa at the Down Home Holiday Festival a couple weekends ago. But right now, he’s run outta ho, ho, ho’s. He’ll rally …