I move through my daily life ever alert to subjects suitable for blogging and usually identify scores of things about which I think I might be able to craft at least somewhat interesting entries. Alas, it is this same daily life that has been preventing me from actually committing the thoughts to posts.


One of my long-standing clients is continuing an established tradition that allows all kinds of stuff to hit the fan in the last weeks of the year. Like many organizations, budgets are determined on a use-it-or-lose-it calendar year basis, as are bonuses - progress toward which is measured by how much was completed against the list of goals created earlier in the year. The result is that December arrives, everyone looks up and thinks, "Holy cow! We've got to get how much stuff done on the next few weeks? Well, I ain't working over the holidays, better call the consultants."


And so they call and I work because, like retail, small-scale consulting depends in a large part on results accrued in December to make the rest of the year's numbers work. I was going over billing records from 2001 and saw that I worked 19 hours on Christmas Eve. I don't remember that day specifically, but I have vivid memories of calling a colleague before heading to bed around 4:30 a.m. to catch her as she started her day. Never have two people with opposite schedules worked so well together.


And so goes life at the close of the year. Luckily, I anticipated the crunch and am largely satisfied with the status of present shopping, wrapping and shipping. I have a schedule laid out that will include gingerbread house construction, cooking baking, card writing and a few other holiday frills but, despite my recent promise, I'm not sure canning will be among them.


This being said, I hope you'll stay tuned. We received a gift of pink grapefruit the other day, some of which is already earmarked for ginger-lime grapefruit marmalade to be made in the slower days of January. There are cranberries in the freezer, waiting for transformation into ruby red spicy chutney. Best of all, perhaps, is the can of glaceed chestnuts from which I am hoping to produce chestnut paste - perfect for Easter cake filling.


Winter may yet be setting upon us but already I am thinking of Spring.