Holiday miscellany

I got some new slippers this past weekend, and I am a teensy bit infatuated with them.

In fact, the acquistion of said slippers--on sale! and an additional 20% off!--was one of the top highlights of the weekend. After, obviously, having Jules here, and also:

• FREE Nutcracker tickets
• White Christmas viewing (I shall neither confirm nor deny whether I did the "Blue Skies" dance.)
• Near completion of Christmas shopping (one gift to go!)
• Re-reading of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (That was not a group activity, but it was exciting.)
• a solid three days of Quality Time with Jules

We also saw Invictus (four thumbs up), watched Elf ("I like smiling! Smiling's my favorite."), consumed at least ten pots of tea in three days, and had Zorba's and Hello Cupcake. Weekend = success.

*****

Now. Two working days till I head home for Christmas for ten days. But before that, I have to bake five dozen cookies. Also, pack. Minor details.

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I have taken to wearing my hair in a braid. For the first time in my life, it's long enough. I can't decide if it's cute or a tad too Little House on the Prairie, so I haven't yet gone public with it. Jury's still out.

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Anyway, my slippers and my braid and I are going to bed. To dream about ratios of flour and sugar and whether I can get away with only three pairs of shoes for a week at home.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

On Saturday, we had our first snowfall of the year. It was glorious--a full day of uninterrupted, fat, wet snowflakes. I celebrated by doing four loads of laundry and watching about ten hours of saccharine holiday movies on Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel. And then another several hours on Sunday. I think I have a cavity from all the sweetness.

Aside from that, though, I am kicking ass ahead of the game this holiday season. Last night? I WRAPPED GIFTS. This is impressive not only because I did this so early, but because I actually have gifts in my possession to wrap! Eighteen whole days before Christmas! ...Thank you, thank you, no need for applause.

Anyway, 12 days from now I will be heading home for a rather lengthy holiday break, which will be preceded by various holiday gatherings (most of which require me to bake things) and also a visit from Jules! And, by the way, know what's even more exciting than having your best friend visit just to go see The Nutcracker with you? Going to see it FOR FREE. Which we are doing on Friday.

But anyway, as I mentioned, I spent the weekend watching bad Lifetime movies and also a couple of BBC miniseries--North and South (NOT the one about the Civil War) and Daniel Deronda--and boy, if those two networks aren't at opposite ends of the quality spectrum, then I don't know what are. Lifetime : cotton candy :: BBC : oatmeal. And in case you were wondering what all the old Dawson's Creek stars are doing now (aside from Pacey, who is on that Fringe show, and Joey, who is married to that crazy, couch-jumping Scientologist), they're starring in sappy holiday movies.