It’s finally December! I can listen to holiday music and wear Christmas clothing without people glaring and telling me it’s too early! I love how even ordinary things feel festive and exciting this time of year. Things like, oh, I don’t know… having your car break down. Yes, that happened… read on for details. Thanks to Coco and Deborah for hosting the monthly coffee date!
If we were having coffee together, I would tell you about Monday. I stopped at the grocery store after work, and when I came back out my car wouldn’t start. AAAARRRRRRG! These things only happen when my husband is entirely unavailable. Any other day he would have been able to come right over, but this day he was working until 10 pm.
As I sat there waiting for roadside assistance to arrive, I thought about a recent blog post by Elisabeth, where she told the story of how they had a water leak, into the closet where she was hiding the wrapped Christmas gifts. Instead of going berserk, she started to make a list of things she was grateful for (running water, the privilege of having a stack of gifts in the first place, the fact that most of the presents were undamaged) and got up at 4:30 am the next day to re-wrap the presents.
Let’s ignore the astounding fact that she already had her gifts wrapped. I like wrapping as much as the next person, but not twice. I figured if she could be grateful in that situation, so could I. I started making my own list: I was stranded in a parking lot, not the side of the highway. It was the parking lot of a grocery store where I could use the bathroom (phew.) It wasn’t too hot or too cold. Roadside assistance was on their way (although they took their sweet time, ahem.) And I saw a nice sunset…
After a quick jumpstart, I was able to get home. Early Tuesday morning I got another jumpstart and drove straight to the dealer to get the car fixed… well, almost straight. I stopped at Starbucks on the way to get my favorite tea, heh heh. Yes, I left my car running in the parking lot while I got my drink. My car could have been stolen, but I had my priorities straight!
To my delight, the waiting room at the dealer was decorated for Christmas, and Christmas music was playing. I had a nice table all to myself, and I spent the morning sipping tea from my festive holiday cup while reading and commenting on blog posts. And then my car was fixed! You never fully appreciate these things until they suddenly don’t work- now every time I get in my car I’m so thrilled that it starts.
The icing on the cake was the car dealership is right near a Trader Joes! Obviously a shopping trip was in order.
Does anyone else do this? I do my shopping at Trader Joe’s and grab the Fearless Flyer on the way out. When I get home I read the Fearless Flyer and discover all sorts of amazing things I didn’t get. Well, the worst thing about the car issue was that I had to reschedule my podiatrist appointment. So I’ll be going next Tuesday for my shockwave treatment and it happens to be right near another Trader Joe’s. More shopping!
Meanwhile, I’ve been following along Sally’s Cookie Palooza! Every December she posts ten new cookie recipes in a row. So far every cookie this year looks amazing, and easily vegan-izable. Her “Seriously Soft Molasses Cookies” are on our cookie plate every year…
I suggested to Coco that we have a long-distance cookie bake-a-thon this month. We can pick a weekend and make our cookies, then share the pictures. I probably won’t bake this weekend because I seem to be the only one in my neighborhood who hasn’t put up outdoor lights yet. I know what I’ll be doing Sunday! Maybe next weekend can be our bake-a-thon.
Well, that’s it for this coffee date. I hope you’re all enjoying your own holiday beverage!
Are you enjoying the holiday season so far?
Do you want to join the cookie bake-a-thon?
35 Responses
Those car and household things always seem to happen when my husband is away as well. But, it does make me realize I can handle things on my own if I have to. People always post about all the great stuff at TJ’s but ours is in a pain-in-the-ass parking lot and I rarely go there. Am I really missing anything? Thanks for joining for coffee today
There was a whole article about the “evil” Trader Joe’s parking lot recently- I wish I could remember where I saw it. There are a lot of fun things there, but I think you can live without it.
I am long overdue for a TJ’s trip. The nearest one is close to where I used to work – on the plus side I am so glad that I don’t have to drive there and back every day like I did pre-pandemic, but the down side is that now I have to go on my own time instead of sneaking my visits into my work day;-)
I’m thinking over my Christmas baking list…for sure there will be oreo balls but I’m not sure what else. All I have to do is to pare it down from about 50 recipes that I’ve seen recently to 3-4.
Yes, I haven’t decided exactly what I’m making yet. I’ve got a bunch of old favorites, but I want to try some new ones. Peanut butter balls, biscotti and the molasses cookies will be made for sure!
Oooh, I love that approach to dealing with a difficult situation. Look at all the brightsides you discovered!! And a bonus Trader Joe’s trip!!! I love Trader Joe’s, but ours is about 45 minutes from my house, so I don’t get out there often. It’s such a joy when I have the time to drive out there (or when I end up in that neighborhood for another errand). 🙂
45 minutes is far! My closest Trader Joe’s is about 20-25 minutes away, just far enough to be inconvenient. Like you, i really try to take advantage of it when I’m in the area.
Oddly enough a couple of years ago my car wouldn’t start in the Trader Joe’s parking lot a few years back. Yup, Mr. Judy was out of town. Unfortunately it was bitterly cold — it was just a dead battery in my case, but still annoying!
My family has already been trying to fatten me up by sending me Hannukah treats so I’ll pass on the bakeathon — you’re about 20 years too late. I used to start baking holiday cookies in the summer to bring into work! All different kinds!
Wow, I wish I could have seen your cookie spread back in the old days!
Yeah, that’s a weird coincidence that my post involved my car not starting, a parking lot, and Trader Joes (but in a different configuration.) I’ll admit that I might not have been so cheery if it was bitterly cold.
That’s a great approach to a challenging situation!!! The thing is, when you start listing all the things to get grateful for, that habit becomes automatic 🙂 I also try to step out of my “panic mode,” and look for a lesson to be learned (FYI, that’s much easier said than done, LOL).
It’s true- I remember someone once saying they “got really good at gratitude.” You do get better at it the more you do it.
Ugh to the car situation. That stuff always throws me off. Can I just ask tho, who has all their holiday shopping done? And wrapped? Come on!
I’ll be starting the baking this weekend, so if you need me to send photos, let me know…
I definitely want to see photos!!!
Yes, the whole point of Elisabeth’s blog post was that she found ways to feel grateful even in that crisis- but that was my first thought as well- “WRAPPED Christmas gifts???”
Hah! I do hope to be baking next Saturday, but just figured out I have to go to Chicago on Sunday afternoon. Do you have a vegan version of those molasses cookies?
Bummer on the car breakdown. Finding reasons to be grateful anyway is a great way to shift your thinking. Today our power went out at 4:30. I’m grateful we could go out to a restaurant for a leisurely early dinner — and that it came back on not too long after we got home! 😉
I do have a vegan version! Let me know if you want it.
I shop at TJ’s every other week and still always find new things that I haven’t tried – especially during the holiday season (and I love the Fearless Flyer!) 🙂
I am so glad you were able to focus on the silver-linings and enjoy your holiday beverage and the beginning of the holiday season! I’ll hopefully start baking cookies this weekend.
One thing I got at Trader Joe’s was that wooden spoon you showed in one of your posts. I love it!
Crummy experience about the car, but so glad my post provided some inspiration.
Guilty as charged with the early Christmas wrapping. I actually started buying gifts *later* than usual this year, but bought things very quickly (because I’d been keeping a list of ideas all year). I actually don’t love wrapping and like to get it over with – how grinchy is that. If it makes me sound any less crazy, my Mom starts wrapping in the summer. I’m not, however, done all my wrapping nor all my gift buying. But I’ve done two batches with the items I already had (+ 1 re-wrapping session thanks to the broken pipe).
I also skip lots of Christmas things – no gingerbread houses, very little baking, no matching Christmas PJ’s, no outside decor (our house is currently under renovation so I get a pass this year!)…so I think this frees me up to get some of the other things done “ahead of schedule”?
One of my best friends always wrapped ALL her Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve AFTER her kids went to bed. So she and her husband would be up until the wee hours of the morning. On Christmas Eve. And they wrote out clues on every single gift, too. NO THANK YOU. I like to prioritize sleep before Christmas Day.
I wish we had a Trader Joes, but there are none in Canada. A friend from California brings me back a new reusable bag and some goodies every time she visits the States though, and it always makes me wish we had one nearby.
Oh my God- NO WAY. I think I would have a nervous breakdown if I had to wrap all the presents on Christmas Eve after the kids went to bed. Even with the gifts all wrapped, I still feel like I’m up way too late. And kids wake up so early on Christmas morning! She must be sooo tired all day. I almost want to go to her house and convince her to let me help wrap, ahead of time.
The morning at the Starbucks sounds very nice. The Christmas atmosphere makes many places magic, especially in the night with all those lights.
Sorry for the car problems.
Have a good Sunday.
Thank you! Luckily the car problems only last one day, phew.
I love your Grinch mask! Sorry about the car problems, but at least there was Starbucks and shopping?
Yes, I can’t really complain about Starbucks and shopping, can I?
Car problems are the worse, especially when the hubby is away.
Wrapping presents is one of my least favorite things to do. I usually get my daughter to do it.
I rarely go to Trader Joe’s but was supposed to go last week. They have a couple plants that I saw at Armstrong but for a much better price.
My son can actually wrap presents really nicely, and I get him to do a lot of them. But he obviously can’t do his, or even my daughter’s 9that would ruin the surprise on Christmas Day!)
Yikes! I’m so sorry about the car. Looks like you made the best of it though so props for that! Once upon a time I’d host an annual holiday bake-off and make all the cookies. That was 20 years and so pounds ago. Haha!
I’m still planning to bake this weekend! Most of the cookies will go right into the freezer.
hahaha, yay! I love how everything gets so festive this time of year too! I’m really sorry to hear about your car though!
A long-distance bake-a-thon sounds like fun!
I’m hoping to bake this weekend! I’m gathering all the ingredients and materials this week.
So what was wrong with your car? My previous car rarely gave me any trouble and I am hoping this one is the same. However, the good thing with this car is that it will “let me know” if something is wrong. I do need to take it in for tire rotation but don’t know if I want to take it to the dealer (more expensive) or somewhere else. I like wrapping presents. I used to wrap all of my student’s gifts. This year I will just use a bag…a cute bag.
It was a dead battery, but then of course there were a few “extra” issues as well. I’ve owned the car for several years and this is the first time I’ve had a problem, so I can’t really complain!
Oh no about your car and thank goodness your car wasn’t stolen while you were getting your coffee – you needed to find a Starbucks drive thru!
Thanks for sharing the story about Elisabeth. What a wonderful lesson she shared!
Ha ha… the Starbucks I went to actually did have a drive through but the line was too long! Can you imagine if my car had really been stolen- I would have looked like the biggest idiot in the world.
There are always silver linings when we look for them! I’m glad you were able to find the good things even on a frustrating morning. <3
I don't go to Trader Joe's as often as I should. It's about a 20 minute drive, compared to the 5 minutes it takes me to get to Publix, hehe. I need to go soon to stock up on some holiday treats, though!
I love TJ’s but I go in for one thing and buy twenty…so many temptations. My favorite is their flowers and they last for weeks and are cheap.
I’ve never bought flowers there, but I know a lot of people do and they love them! Maybe I should try it next time.