Holiday Frenzy

Fiorella keeps telling herself she has enough time to get everything prepared for the Christmas family get-together, especially since Son and his family came over and took care of the tree (which is BEAUTIFUL) and Daughter is ramrodding the kitchen brigade. Especially since today Fio completely finished off her Christmas sonnet except for the printing, which she always gets done at Fed-Ex Kinkos. Especially since she's hired her yardman to hang the driveway swags.
     But, on the other hand, she still has to go buy envelopes for her cards, address them, stuff them, and mail them.  And then there are the swags that go up the stairs and end in a covey of redbirds, which were always Husband's favorites. And all the manger scenes Fiorella has collected. And cleaning up her desk and everything else in the house.
     Mother never seemed to be rushed when it came to holidays, but then, except for the tree, she did all the decorating at home alone while Dad was at work and Brother and Fio were at school. Also, Mother was a spot-on housewife so the house was always, ALWAYS, just the way it should be. 
     But she was never a widow and never had to deal with a house in transition.