Christmas at home

It's already December 17th and I have yet to buy or make any but the most minimal gifts for my family and friends. It seems each year I wait longer, daring the holiday to catch me, and each time I do it, I live to regret my choice to delay getting out and doing what must be done. Part of the reason is that now my family just does stockings for the adults and it's much more fun to go on a mad shopping spree, dropping the unexpected into the cart and then separating everything when I get home. I love doing it that way, but this year I've got to come up with a gift that will be bargained for among the family members. I will, of course, take something home to north Florida from the mountains of East Tennessee, but just exactly what to take has escaped me. Nothing has called me to say "take me home with you."
Then there's the weather to contend with - we've had severe weather already this year and it hasn't been condusive to shopping. Normally, the climate in this little pocket of the mountains is moderate - not so this year, and I have felt the cold more than ever, and I"ve worried about those less fortunate than me and tried to remember them in any way that I can.
Now that we have a brief respite from the snow and ice, I think I'll have breakfast at the Cranberry Thistle in Jonesborough in the morning, and shop right here in this lovely little town. It's more than lovely - this place is flat out beautiful and very old and it always makes me feel good to give back to the folks that make it so.
Happy shopping!