First I would like to thank everyone for making me feel so special on my special day! I thank the Big Guy, a not so big guy and wife for helping me to once again celebrate with mangos and shrimp!
On a totally different note...I know we are all melting in the hottest part of the year and no one wants to look ahead but....
A couple of years ago I looked around and found most of my friends and family members were dreading Christmas as much as I was. I felt bad that something that should be joyous had turned into such a stressful time to just hurry through.
True to my writers soul I did research (remembered what had helped me - besides wine) and wrote a book. Although it never made the New York Times best selling list it did OK. The premise of the book is to do small steps every month beginning in August (a very special persons birth month) so by the big day you still have some hair left, the Amazon truck stops automatically slamming to a stop in front of your house and your banker is not able to go to Hawaii with your overdrawn charges.
I'll be adding steps here every month or you can purchase the book from Amazon.
It may seem that beginning holiday preparations in the middle of the summer is a tad odd but I have found this is exactly the best time of the year to get started. There is so much that can be accomplished by working at it for just a couple of moments in the next few months that the holidays could lose their stress factor altogether…almost…I can’t do anything about daughters new boyfriends, losing those last few pounds or intrusive in-laws.
By trial and error I have formulated a month by month plan of attack that has proven to be a sanity saver to myself and my friends who follow it. Keep in mind not all of the suggestions will work for everyone but most will at least give you ideas to build on.
I hope you find, as I did, it really is possible to look forward to the holidays again…
