Ahhh, the signs and portents of a new calendar month. The first swooping magpie of September. The first bluetongue and redback of November. The first red leaf of April, the first woolly-bear caterpillar of June, the first gigantic barfed-up furball of October from a winter-coat-shedding cat.
And today, in the mailbox, the first Christmas card of December.
The first Christmas card of December is reassuring, the first Christmas card of January, on the other hand...
ReplyDeleteWe, or rather my son, got the first Christmas card on 30 November (at least that's when I found it in his school bag) with a candy cane which he promptly scarfed (his sister is quite partial to them, especially if they are his).
ReplyDeleteYes, I should have clarified: it's the first Christmas card, full stop. However, there is indeed usually at least one in January. And in other people's houses, sometimes it's from me.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
ReplyDeleteI hate Christmas. I haven't even started thinking about it. Until now.
Wow! You get cards--from real people, not just real estates, gyms, etc?
ReplyDeleteOh dear, Duckie, I am sorry.
ReplyDeleteEl -- not only a real person, but my very oldest friend, from Adelaide Girls' High circa 1967. We had a lovely Vietnamese dinner a couple of nights ago and spent much of it venting about our respective families, since of course we've known each other's families nearly all our lives and each of us is very understanding about the other.
I think the kids are pretty much the only ones who get cards in our place. We were so bad at sending them that only the most staunch family members still send them to us. I did plan to do up cards for family with cute pictures of the kids a couple of years ago, but it never happened. Eldest saw his textas in my office this morning (storm, blackout, showing at work yadda yadda) and wanted to take them home. I fobbed him off with 'they are a Xmas present, so wait until Xmas, do you want me to give them back to Santa?'
ReplyDeleteHubby is with you Duckie. Our tree is already up because the kids wanted one at the beginning of December. Left to our own devices we put it up Christmas eve or so.
Given that our planned Xmas work party venue got flooded last night it looks like the backup venue - my place - might have to come online. A weekend weeding the knee high weeds in the backyard looks very likely - in the rain.
Count yourself lucky if your cat's production of furballs is only a seasonal phenomenon. My rag doll's self-lickery goes on day and night throughout the year, with inevitable results.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the furballs occur all year round. But they get twice as big and twice as frequent as the winter coats begin to fall out.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean if one's first Christmas card (also received today) is from one's landlord?
ReplyDeleteI can never remember: what's the rule about when the Christmas tree is to go up? This year I want to put it up now, but I keep stopping myself. Not sure why. Perhaps I'm just trying to slow down time.
ReplyDelete