Christmas is nine days away: How are you faring? Made the cookies? Wrapped the gifts? Planned the Christmas dinner? What about Christmas Eve? Cards? Housecleaning? Teacher gifts?  I'm trying to follow my own advice of taking it all in stride, smiling a lot -- even if through clenched teeth -- and succumbing to an occasional glass of wine, or morsel of chocolate, to keep myself together. I must admit, I'm doing better this season than in years past and I haven't even pulled any all-nighters. An achievement. But this morning, not such a good one. I'm feeling very frazzled, though it was the day this week I managed to leave home with my keys, my phone, my wallet and my to-do list in tow. Another achievement.! Right now, my biggest concern is the state of my home: a disaster! And relatives from Chicago arrive next week. But I'll take it one floor and sink at a time -- and do it with Christmas music playing in the background. And you can be sure, I'll cut more than a few corners. As Erma Bombeck wrote, "Housework, if you do it right, will kill you!''