Cards Mailed - A Few Left. Want To Claim One?

The post office opened at 8:30 am and I was the second person in line. By the time I left, fifteen minutes later, the line stretched back to the entry door with people sending packages to their friends and family. I need to get Sharon's package out to her, but I'm so used to sending her things via Priority Mail. I'll still have to motivate and get that wrapped, etc. I should up my sense of urgency here - LOL. Still, the holiday cards are in the mail. 

This is a busy season and time of the year for your local postal
service. Be kind to your post people, they're putting in some
hefty hours these days. 

I have one card reserved for an elder I met at my brother's funeral - just waiting for an address. One other card has been claimed by an on-line friend who sent me a message/comment. That still leaves a few. It makes no sense to hold back on this - I keep one for my archive, but would love to send the others off to friends. Don't be shy - it's a solstice card, it can arrive late and it's not a problem. No holiday trees or Santa here, just positive thoughts for friends and relations. 

Opal is usually an inclusion in rock, that has iridescence. It can be white
or black (or a few other odd colors) and it's just a gorgeous, if
frustrating stone. Quality varies a LOT and it fractures easily, making
it a challenge to work with. But I love it. 

To give a small idea of how bizarre my life can be some days, I'll share a small bit of today's early morning before I sat down at the keyboard. I was taking my daily vitamin and looked up at the shelf of my computer cubby, focusing on an odd bottle of white/grey stone to my left. "Hmmm," I thought. "I guess I should water the opal." How many people awaken, look around them, and think "I guess I should water the opal"?  I suspect, not many. But yes, my small container of opal chips and stones did indeed need water, as did the other small container I have on a different shelf behind me. Both have now been watered and the opal is once again happy. 

I have a few bottles of opal similar to these - small, containing opal
chips and small pieces. These are Australian and really good
quality. Mine aren't great quality, but they'll be fun to play with. 

Why water opal? Well, opal are iridescent cracks in a specific type of stone. The better quality opals don't need to be watered, although they often thrive with body oils when they are worn. These opals cost me approximately $5 for each bottle. They're low grade, but I think they'll be a lot of fun to play with once I'm not running the shop any more. Keeping them wet allows the iridescence to remain strong, until I actually use the stones. My strange life - LOL. 

DH likes his fancy meals for the holiday season, so he picked up
expensive beef yesterday (it was on sale - almost 50% off normal
price) and I'll get our homey baked ham early next week. Since I
usually eat chicken, it's a once-a-year treat for me too. 

DH bought standing rib roast and Manhattan roast yesterday (once a year sale and treat), and I'll pick up our ham on Sunday or Monday. The holiday is starting to come together, slowly. I still feel at least one week behind, and tomorrow is my last and only shopping day before Christmas and DH's birthday next week. I'm going to have to keep a sharp lock on my workouts. Can't let those fall off or I'll gain too much weight and be very unhappy as I enter the New Year. Here's hoping you have a wonderful day, and DON'T FORGET to message me if you would like one of the remaining cards sent to you. I'll be back tomorrow.