HoliDAZE

If I were to list my "strong" points, continue down through my "weak" points, the list would start with punctuality, and end with forgetfulness. Basically this means, that if I am suppose to be somewhere, and I remember, chances are very good I will be on time.

During the Holiday Season, my forgetfulness seems to intensify. Just this past weekend I was at the Market Basket, and lost track of my cart. This has happened to me before, but usually I am able to track it down in a few short minutes.  Not this time.  Embarrassing as it was, I had no choice but to report my missing cart to customer service. I assumed they would have a few associates come help me look for it. Not the case. The women made an announcement on the PA system that a customer (perhaps the women standing next to her with a face as red as Rudolph's nose) misplaced her cart, and if  everyone could check their carts, and if they had the wrong one, please bring it to the meat department (which is where I last saw it). 

As I proceeded with my "walk of shame" back to the meat department, I spotted my cart at the end of the aisle by the meat department. Whether this is where I left it, or someone had abandoned it there for me to find, I will never know. Just happy to have it back.

This story really is nothing compared to the "cooking of the Chanukah Gifts" incident from two years ago.

It is a long standing tradition in our family that we hide the Chanukah's gifts each night. I use my downstairs shower stall as a storage area ... I tell you this so you can appreciate how little space I have to "hide" gifts. 

One morning I came up with the great idea of hiding that nights gifts in the oven.  I knew we were having tacos for dinner, so I would be using the stove top to cook the beef, and not the oven.

Later that night while my son was working on his homework, I preheated the oven for the taco shells (ooops). As I sat with my son helping him with his work, I noticed smoke coming from the oven.  Sadly, I couldn't imagine what was causing this.  Perhaps I had too many things on top of the stove?  It wasn't until flames starting shooting out from the oven that I remembered about the gifts. Without saying a word, I ran over, took out the gifts, and threw them into the sink. My son said nothing, and I offered nothing by way of an explanation. 

Later, when we were picking my oldest up from dance, she asked what was for dinner.  Without missing a beat, Chad said, well mom was cooking our Chanukah gifts, but I don't think that's what we're having.