Back to life, back to reality

You know what the worst thing is about the holidays? It's not putting away the decorations after it's all over. It's incorporating all the STUFF that you received as gifts into the limited space in your home. Oh yes, for a few days you can get by with putting it back under the tree. But eventually the tree must come down and the stuff has to find a permanent home. It's a huge domino effect.

At first, some stuff seems easy—the speedlight and the nifty, teeny-tiny cute little remote belong in the camera bag. Of course, now we need a new camera bag because the old one won't hold all our gear anymore (a good problem to have, by the way).

The books can go on the bookshelf in our . . . wait—we don't have a bookshelf. We shove everything onto the shelves in the entertainment center. Guess it's time to clear out the old books to make room for the new.

And then there's the huge new electric griddle that J.P. got me (we went for the practical gifts this year). There is NO PLACE in our kitchen where that will fit. I'm thinking basement . . . add that to the list of places to clean.

Finally, what to do with all these leftover cookies from Auntie J.J.?



Not a problem—leave the completely full tray on the coffee table and come downstairs a few hours later to find that Maggie has helped herself.