Where Has 2013 And All the Other Years Gone?

This is my dish set for winter.  It is The Friendly Village from Johnson's Brothers

Of all the choices of designs for the Friendly Village, this is my favourite.   There is something nostalgic and sentimental about the little church in its snowy setting and of course, it is very appropriate for this time of year.  It is also economical as dish sets go; this one is available in the Sears catalogue and can often be found discounted on sites such as www. replacements.com
So many things seem to creep up on me; I think I was saying this to you the other day.  That may be a side effect of no longer being in the work force and the necessary calendar watching that is such a part of that world.  I often have to stop and think about which day of the week it is.  I just realized today that Christmas Day is one week away and I still have a bunch of things to do. Never mind the months, I even find the years are speeding by.  Of course that feeling is relative to my age.   A year now is just (approx.) one sixtieth of my life and will continue to get shorter and shorter the longer (hopefully) I live. So make no wonder I sometimes hesitate when I have to write down the year on something...what 2013 already?  Didn't we just celebrate the millennium??
I'm terrible at answering the question, "what do you want?" At this time of year, I get asked it more than usual and I never know what to say.  I've never been good at being direct about what I want, or as Beyonnce sang...what I really, really want.
Maybe it is because at this stage of my life I have pretty much everything I want.  If there is an appliance or gadget we want, we watch the sales throughout the year and buy when the buying is good.  For many years now, I've gotten more satisfaction and enjoyment in the giving part of the Christmas present ritual. I scour the advertising flyers and the online catalogues until I am satisfied I am picking the exact item each one on my list will love.  That whole process and the look when the gift is finally opened bring me a lot of fun and pleasure. 
 Don't get me wrong, I do like getting presents and am often delighted with the unique gifts family have likewise found for me.   Being thankful too goes without saying.