Monday Morning Circle Time

photo by shabbyscraps

How’s everybody doing? Hanging in? Shopped out? Broke? Are you stressed and overcommitted? I hear you. Breathe. You’re nearly there and you’re doing just fine.

Maybe you are one of those more enlightened beings who is approaching this season with a song both in your heart and on your lips. You take comfort in the traditions, tastes and smells that evoke that holiday feeling and just say no to the hectic craze that can easily overwhelm. Well good for you then. I’m trying…

How are THIHs doing less than a week out?

Claudia: On Friday I went to Lauriol Plaza for a friend’s birthday, then a Christmas party on the other side of the river.  Much of Saturday was spent at Home Depot, then at Tunnicliffs for another friend’s birthday.  Saturday I saw the Pink Nutcracker, a production by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington.  Highly entertaining.

Lauren: Friday I test drove the lunch menu at Bistro Cacao on Mass Ave with coworkers. Positive verdicts all around. Saturday I worked and met up with friends in the evening. Sunday afternoon was spent online, trying to figure out how much I need to spend to get presents delivered by Friday. Is Christmas really the same date every year? I should have seen this one coming…

Jon: Friday evening was spent recuperating after a long and busy week at work and a huge deadline earlier that day.  Much of Saturday and Sunday was occupied with purchasing final gifts and last-minute decorations, though happily it also included redeeming several Groupons, Living Social deals, Eversave offers, and a gift certificate or two.  We stopped by an “ugly sweater” holiday party Saturday evening and Sunday evening ventured up to Silver Spring for dinner at one of our favorite local institutions, the Parkway Deli.

Sharee: Friday, I went from a morning of yoga on the warm, sunny beach in Tulum (where I’d been frolicking for a week) to the frosty taxi line at DCA that night.  Saturday was spent washing tank tops, shorts and swimsuits (Remember summer? Well, its still warm elsewhere.) and vacuuming sand from the suitcase.  After that, I hit Eastern Market to stock up on provisions — and tasted the most amazing Macoun apple from the cider guy on the corner of 7th & C.  Sunday I braved my email for the first time in a week and quickly decided it could wait until Monday

Nichole: Spent the weekend in Jersey with good friends, where we ate, drank and generally made merry. (Did you know that pizza topped with penne is common up there?!) While there, I went to the Campmor retail store (!!) and spent 4 hours buying everything from new tent stakes to a pair of Vibrams to a new hammock – I can’t wait for spring! (but I bought hats and mittens too for the meantime…)

Robert: Saturday was spent at Second Chance Inc in Baltimore, buying pieces for our soon-to-be-redone basement, then on to Ian’s violin concert, and ended up annoying neighbors up and down East Capitol Street with the sound of my poorly-sung Christmas carols. Sunday was spent at another kids birthday party, then lunch with friends and
a trip to Lowe’s to really cap it off.

Jen: Spent Friday at the CHAW showcase where my budding Scorcese and Speilberg presented their first films which was followed by dinner at Las Placitas. Saturday I dragged them shopping on the Hill where I finished most of my shopping.  Saturday night I tried some very nice  Aquavit at a Norwegian Christmas party. Sunday hung around the house save for some caroling with some fellow Atlas staff in the lobbyI’m still looking for something for my Mom…I know always have some Eastern Market jewelry as a fallback but I’m stumped, any ideas?