Taking Down Christmas

I there anything more depressing than taking down the tree? You have all those litte ornaments to wrap up, icicles to gather to reuse (I am my grandmother's granddaughter) and pine needles to vacuum. I always do it when the kids are at school, no way are they "helping." I like to do it with some semblance of order so next year I can find things again. I try to put on some cheery music but today with a storm outside and my dog and another wrestling in the snow I am on my own with the Santas and skiers and pinecones.

Everything was getting a little tired loooking but the house seems so bare when it is all down. We'll keep the lights on the trees outside for another month or so, at least until is isn't dark at 4pm anymore, that is one thing to look forward to. I am even cleaning out the last of the Christmas leftover from the fridge, no more mince pie and hard sauce (for those of you not of British stock, hard sauce is rum, sugar and butter or atleast in my family it is), my waist line can't handle it, no more candy cane bark or shortbreads. Full disclosure, I just finished the pie and a helpful hint: never eat a crumbly crust over your keyboard.

I know why we gorge at this time of year. It is the darkness and the cold, it is very primal. I don't know what all you people who live in warmer climates can use as an excuse, but that is mine.

We do get outside alot more now, living where we do. We can ski after school and now I can go riding (see previous post) but sometimes it is very hard to rouse oneself to get out, much easier to make a cup of tea or open a bottle of wine and sit by the fire. Good thing I have a 9 month old puppy to be walked otherwise the kids would be getting themselves to and from school (possible in a smalltown).

It's funny though, I am not watching as much TV as I used to in the winter, I guess that is because I am on the computer, but also because there is absolutely nothing to watch. No "Must See TV' for me these days. I hate reality TV, except Jon & Kate Plus 8, I admit I watch that because it is always on and it makes me feel so much better about my little family of five. And there are no series that I care enough about to remember what night they are on and if I do get into one the season always ends abruptly. No more pilots in the fall then new shows until March and then reruns to catch up on the ones you missed. They are all over the map, some start in October, some in February, who can keep track?

Life was much simpler when there were only three networks each in Canada and the US and your mother took care of dismantling Christmas while you were at school. Sigh ....