well… I *am getting* Rosetta Stone level one, beginning Japanese. Worldcon is less than a year away, and it’s time to swot up.

Yokohama… Tokyo… Kyoto… Sapporo… oh, my, yes. *g*

Hey, that’s a cool gift! I’ve wanted to get Rosetta to learn Arabic. The program is so highly recommended. Enjoy!

A gun cleaning kit, wrench set, two ties, underwear, an orange and a candy cane. And I forgot, coffee, lots of coffee. It’s noon; I’m still in my PJs; and there are a few hours yet until the guests arrive. Truly I am blessed. Next year you’ll have to buy yourself an extra present for just such an emergency. I’m sure that the VH will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Oooh, good loot! Now that the ham’s in the oven, I changed out of my pjs…into clean pjs. It’s going to be a mellow day, my favorite kind. I’ve got nothing more strenuous planned than playing some computer games and lifting a glass or two.

Good suggestion on the “emergency gift.” Come to think of it, Valentine’s Day is only two months away. I should probably start shopping now. ;P

The family got me a wonderful new chair for sitting at my computer — leather — very comfortable…hard to believe that something so practical is also something so heartfelt, but they really love me having a new chair to spend so much time in.

And my kids bought me some wicked-cool small plastic farm animals — for my whimsical side!

I didn’t get Matthew Perry. Alas.

I got the day off with my kitten to entertain me.
A dinner at a freinds house is to come later.

David, I’m so fond of your whimsical side — we share an affinity for cows, after all — so I’m glad your kids are both encouraging it and keeping you comfy!

Anwyn, I tried. Honest. ;P

JP, my kitten’s sitting here on top of my head. For some reason, Pippin has decided that’s the place to be.

The loot list so far…

I got a truly humongous amount of brand-new Hanes tagless T-shirts, which I was in desparate need of (yes, honey, now I’ll reconcile the old hole-ridden ones to the boot polishing bin…honest). I got new PJ’s, which is good since I desparately needed those as well, long underwear (which I need for cold nature photo shoots…nothing like trying to stop shivering long enough to hold the camera still getting a shot of the moon, not that I’ve ever tried that).

I also got, and Kate this will appeal to you greatly, the most awesomely bitchin’ toolbox I have ever seen in all my 30-something years. It’s about knee-high, all told, and consists of a large sealing compartment at the top for large tools, and behind the front side are four clear drawers for organizing…well…everything. I can hardly wait to put everything in it (and I suspect my family will appreciate Dad not going “WHERE’S MY ).

The wife so far has gotten a necklace (small romantic item), Stephen King’s latest novel, three pairs of squooshy chenille socks I found at Macy’s, and some other odds & ends. She hasn’t gotten all of her loot yet, since the kids are due back from their father’s house tomorrow, and we’ll finish then.

I’m also making prime rib in a salt crust for the two of us tonight, and there will be some of what we euphemistically call “unwrapping presents” going on.

Those tagless shirts are awesome, aren’t they? VH and I were talking about them the other day. He always cuts the tags out of everything, which makes it hard to buy him new clothes since I seldom remember his sizes. They’ve been making undies like that for a few years: nice to see they’re starting to make more clothes without tags! And considering how cold it is there, I’m glad you got longjohns!

Oh, that toolbox sounds awesome! I’m jeaaaaalous. Kudos on your wife’s “small romantic item.” Very nice.

Enjoy your prime rib and, well, the other meat. Heh.

Well, two lovely Pavarotti cds (which the young’uns tolerated….it really didn’t kill them!), cozy slippers that look like they should be in an Adirondack cabin, the romantic – Poeme perfume from the hub, cozy socks, and beautiful slate carved candle stick holders.

It sounds like a lovely Christmas, Dana. I love the smell of Poeme!

I got my little girl back home for 3 weeks. What more do I need?

That, my friend, is a wonderful gift! Mine’s off to Disney World tomorrow with her school band, and given the weather they’re having there, I’m afraid she’s not going to have much of a magical time in the Magical Kingdom.

I got the gift of new music downloads, which was what I wanted. A new curling iron (professional grade), a skin for my MacBook, some DVDs, and a yet-to-be-delivered dual zone heated mattress pad. I think he’s tired of hearing that my feet are freezing.

And some lovely watches and nail polish from the kids’ Santa Shop at school.

A fountain pen – been hinting for months and it paid off.

Well, to add to the laundry list – got a call from some friends on the other side of the Columbia River, who invited us up for dinner and hot tubbing…so our dinner for two turned into dinner for four. Good thing I’d planned on having leftovers, or the prime rib wouldn’t have been nearly enough.

For my next trick I’m off to get the kids from their father on the other side of the Cascades. I’m looking forward to seeing them…it’s weird how one or two days of quiet and solitude is nice, and four or five is heartbreaking.

This afternoon….more loot!

VH has been home since Thursday. Personally, I find it weird that I can spend months looking forward to his next vacation so we can spend some quality time together, then about 5 days later I’m eager for him to go back to work so I can get the house cleaned up again and go back to my nice, efficient routines.

So he’s going to work Wed. and Thurs. this week, then take another 4 days off.

Best of both worlds.

Weird. I have no memorable Christmas Gift. I have things I recall having seen in pictures. But as much as I’ve loved the holiday, I.. hmm…nothing.

This year was fun. Pillows, a Parliment greatest hits cd, and a metric buttload of other stuff.

Still trying to figure out what to buy myself for Christmas.