Dog Days - A Webmistress's Holiday Tradition

Yesterday was a scorcher here in eastern Washington state. We're in what we call the "dog days"; the two-week period bridging July and August where we traditionally see the year's hottest weather.

For me, it was a dog day of a different sort: a busy Monday made even busier by the need to take a sick dog to the vet. Not to worry about little Dicksie--she'll be fine--but the waiting around in the exam room did give me a nice chance to think about a unique holiday tradition of my own: spending the dog days of summer working on the Organized Christmas web site.

Some of our friends know this, but many do not: this is a one-person operation--and when the weather is hottest, that one person spends her time holed up in the air conditioning, working on Christmas.

It's fun! The dog days are the time I look for new and better ways to serve the site. It's when I install new modules, test new Web capabilities, and most of all, get our features, content and printables ready for a new holiday season.

This year, there's a special holiday twist: I'm sharing the duties with son Ryan, now webmaster-in-training here at the Organized Home network. He's learning the back side of this operation (and probably more than any work-at-home-dad ever wanted to know about holiday prep!)

It isn't a stocking, and there are no ornaments or decorations--but the dog days of summer are, for me, the kick-off to the coming holiday season. And this year is special: I'm sharing the tradition with my son.

And the weather outside? It's frightful ...