Post-Christmas Doldrums

It's over for another year. The excitement, planning, gift knitting, cleaning, cooking, decorating and various other preparatory activities of Christmas have kept me engaged and excited in the lead up to the big day..... but... almost immediately following .....came the crash. The work listed above, but in reverse, now seems overwhelming and depressing. This year it is made worse by the fact that my best friend in the entire universe is moving to Egypt on January 3rd. We have become an inseparable force in the five and a half years that we have lived together in the same city (we've been friends for more than 15 years). We are each other's support system and closer than is probably normal. I have other close friends that are wonderful and supportive and I know I won't be alone (and certainly not in Christina's shoes.... alone in a foreign country where a woman's role is defined by men), but I am devastated. I've been trying to hold it together and be positive and strong, but now that Christmas is done, that is becoming harder and harder to do. I had a meltdown last night after dropping my Dad and Caren off at the airport. We had such a nice visit and they are wonderful company and the kids love them...... Their leaving was enough to break me down...... I'm feeling better today. I have a list of things to accomplish and I think Christina's boys are coming over for the day while Christina assists the packers. Work helps, knitting helps and the kids help, but I can feel the sadness and loneliness hovering on the edge of my vision (or is that tears.... feels the same to me). I am determined to keep it together until after the 3rd.... then I can have a nice private meltdown...... until then.......

On a more positive note here is a picture of the Christmas knitting I completed and sent as gifts. I also finished a hat for Dale that is not in the picture.