Stocking Season Fatigue…

It has been several days now, and our stocking piles are not diminishing.   Cheryl says it is mid-season Fatigue setting in.   I think that is a fair evaluation.   We have been trying to finish around 30 each day, and we even add a few on now and then…But still….The number of unfinished orders remains.   It is currently 7 P.M and Cheryl is not even begun to pack them up.   Hurray for money!   Except…according to Etsy…our sales are down from last year.  I think….I guess they were up for the month, but down for the week…and the day.   Not sure where all that money goes…I think Etsy gets a pretty good portion.   Followed by felt…buttons, Embroidery machine took a nice huge hunk!  Then there is the postage….and packaging.   and finally the Government….Ah yes….Government helping us out with all that forced health care that we can’t afford…..Glad they could take a chunk of our pie.  and Still require more.

   But I digress.   Possibly because of the fatigue….Or the fact that Cheryl will not be able to run the Jingle Bell Run.   That is correct….looks like she is going to have to pass on a December Run this year.   It’s ok….She got all the other eleven months….so missing one month…during winter…should not be a big deal.

What is a big deal is that she must have seriously hurt something during the Turkey Trot.  ( hey!  At least she got the award!) We have been going out for the last several days to see if she can just run a “little”….but she has to stop after about a quarter mile.   It does not hurt to walk…just the impact of running.   She must have pulled one of those muscles that only functions during running.   This has caused her a bunch or trouble since she usually runs to relieve stress.   With the endless stress of stockings piling up…. you can probably understand her predicament. 

As for me,   I’m still concerned about the embroidery machine and custom orders that Cheryl will not let me talk to.   I guess it is to keep me from “offending” the customer.   FYI….A few years ago I was able to make sales just by chatting with these people.    Sometimes they just need a hand to hold while buying from Etsy.   And I add a little Humor during the craziness of the Holidays.  Seriously,  Who does not think the Holidays are crazy?   Kids!   Only kids!   Cause they are a maelstrom of swirling chaos as a default setting.   Just take a stroll through Target on “bring your kids shopping” day.   You will see why the Holidays are crazy…and not just for Parents who enjoy sharing their breakdown with total strangers. 

I’ve done it again!    Ah well,   people have kids….it can’t be helped.  And The energy to deal with all things minor has been drained from me with each passing day of relentless sales.     Not that that is bad….just ….draining.

BTW….We increased the price of dogs and it appears to have not slowed our sales at all.   Out of the 33 stockings today,   only  5 were NOT dogs or cats!   Dachshunds seem to be very popular….   Along with cats….lots of cats.  I like cats…..two eyes and 5 snowflakes….Done!   But Cheryl has to change thread when she does the multi-colored dogs like the Dachshunds.

So…with our missing of the Jingle Bell 5K….I get to sleep in tomorrow…and eat Pizza.   I DO skip out of a huge pancake meal at the race…and possible race photos of Cheryl for the last few days of 2015.   But hey….January starts a whole new year of running. ….Hopefully all this stocking work will help pay for it all.