December 12, 2004 - 5:59 p.m.
A winter's day in a deep and dark December...
I have been so tired lately. It might be the lack of daylight. The sun comes up late, sets early, and most of this week it hid behind clouds. By 6:00 I'm ready to curl up and go to sleep. Our candles are in the windows, our tree is decorated, but even the incandescent glow of holiday spirit isn't enough to liven me up right now.
Maybe I need more coffee.
But I did manage to make an almost full sweep of the Christmas shopping this week. I also obliged Mike, who has been asking me what he can get me, by killing my watch. Ten years ago, on Christmas in fact, he gave me a nice wristwatch. Short of a couple battery replacements and new leather bands, it ran perfectly for a decade... and probably would have for much longer. Unfortunately, it wasn't made to be put in the pocket of my slacks and run through the laundry. (Actually, it made it though alright the first time. It was the second trip that did it in.) Ironically, it was in my pocket both times because I didn't want to get it wet while giving the boys their bath.
Just to be certain, I took it to a local watch repair shop. They kindly looked at it while I waited. From somewhere in the back of the shop there was a whistle - the variety of awe and futility. After a few minutes the gentleman reappeared, shook his head, and held my watch out in the palm of his hand to return it to me while blessing it with the other hand. If I'd asked, he might have even given me a little pine box to bury it in.
Now I keep having to look at my cell phone to know what time it is. Almost 7. Feels like 10.
