One Week Countdown

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Hello!  One week before Christmas, and my house still looks like a messy Thanksgiving just passed!  My dated goals are long since missed now.  The calicodaisy holiday business has done well this year, but everything has taken a lot more time than I ever dreamed when creating my to-do list.  So, there is a beautiful tree standing in the family room since Saturday undecorated!  There are Christmas cards unopened in a stack waiting for me to open and place in the proper Christmas card viewing area.  There is a box of cards ready to be addressed and signed still waiting to be addressed and signed.  My dad has been here visiting for one week today and has been watching the mad rush of a family in this season running in and out all day and night for business, work, parties, shopping, school, groceries, fabric store, office store, post office, post office, post office, post office.  The last package is mailed now.  Today is the last day of high school. 

As the mother and Queen of this household, I decree:  TONIGHT EVERYONE WILL STAY HOME AND CREATE A LOVELY CHRISTMAS ATMOSPHERE -- WHETHER HE OR SHE WANTS TO OR NOT!!!  Thank you. 

On another note, here are some wise words that you might remind me of next year but may take heed and keep in mind this year: 

1.  It takes longer than you think.  As noted above, I've missed all my early finish dates. 

2.  TRACK THE PACKAGES YOU MAIL OUT!!!  Okay, there is an awful story to go along with this.  Would you please say a little prayer today that there are extra deliveries today to the actual post office where this should arrive, so that my new lovely customer can at least go by the post office and pick up the Priority mailed box sent on Monday but needed to be there yesterday for her Christmas party tonight?  Oh, my goodness.  I always track and insure packages, especially one this important and expensive.  Monday, there was a new gal at the counter, and she was worried about tagging the large box with Priority and didn't go through the normal questions of - Do you want to insure?  Do you want to track?  All I was thinking about was getting this package on its way on time and then getting on with the rest of the day's work.  It's not there!  It can't be tracked!  My friend is a post office carrier here, and she told me to call ahead this morning to the receiving post office and see if the carrier has the box ready to be delivered.  The post office person was as kind as she could be, and I heard her speak to the carrier, and he doesn't have my package.  However, my gal is receiving the package she ordered from NY just not from me this morning.  Remember, don't forget to ask for tracking and spend the 70 cents and TRACK YOUR PACKAGE!!!! 

EDIT, EDIT:  I called the Peoria post office again just now to see if an extra delivery was made today.  The woman who answered the phone told me that as they sorted the shipment, one of them spotted the street address of my package and pulled it!  They called the carrier back or sent a runner, and the box will be delivered today.  Whew!  Now we know how one might track a package without a tracking number, but don't let that happen to you.  Give up the 70 cents and track the thing! 
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Alrighty.  All I want to do is sit here and blog and see all the great last minute ideas, but I'm off to the .... go ahead and guess .... the post office again.  This time it's personal business.  But I will pin the above badge on my chest to be sure MY PACKAGE IS TRACKED!!!!  Feel free to make one for yourself as a reminder.