Your plan sounds better than going to work, Lee. Besides, no one really expects anyone to do anything when it's raining. Too much of a strain. And people, like, drive crazy and stuff. You would be risking life and limb to go out in that. Plus it's the holidays. When people deserve to be off, watching Firefly.

Lee, don't go to work. Come to Target with me.

Damn. So much good advice, and I am reading it all too late. At least I get Friday off.

Hey, Kat, want to go get pumpkin pancakes or other stuff at Hugo's on Friday?

I realise I'm most used to Season's Greetings -- is that a British thing?

I'll use Season's Greetings on cards, but it seems too formal to put into usual conversation.

Hugs for Nilly and her most excellent card

I too got a kick-ass ecard from Nilly and I want to thank her for it.

Thanks Nilly. You're awesome and cool.

Okay, I have to share my best Christmas gift of this year: The Cubes. Anyone familiar with Archie McPhee will recognize them. Z gave me Ann, and I've been having so much fun setting her up.

That is all....

To my Jewish friends, I either send Happy Holiday cards, or buy special Hanukkah cards.

I totally appreciate when my non-Jewish friends send me cards or call to wish me happy hannukah, and I really don't expect them to keep track of the lunar year and always hit me in time. I had one friend who called me last Wednesday to wish me a happy hannukah, and then she asked me when hannukah would be over. Sheepishly, I told her it had ended a week earlier but I really, really didn't mind that she missed it. I mean, I don't have any close Moslem friends but if I did I'd never get Ramadan right.

Offended by Merry Christmas or by Happy Holidays?

Well, either. People offended by Happy Holidays are probably the same folk offended by Good Morning. You can't please everyone.

Ooh. How long will you be in NY, Laura?

10 bone chilling days. I will be in the Adirondack Mountains visiting my sister. Wish me good snowman making snow.

ION I didn't have enough to do today so #2 son hooked himself in the back of the head fishing to add to my list. Luckily most of my customers are doctors so I ran to the closest one and he numbed it and yanked it out. Kids!

My flight has been cancelled. I have been on hold with the airline long enough to play two games of cribbage with my mother, and to screw up the login to the air canada website enough times that they have revoked my access. (I thought my member number was wrong when it was my password...whoops!)

But the good news is that my neighbors are home and on board for another day of cat feeding, so there's nothing for me to do but sit back, eat even more, and beat my mother at cards again.

I think most of my calendars have noted the first day of Hanukkah on them, and other Jewish holidays, as well.

It seems to me I read somewhere that since the Muslim holidays involve sighting the moon, and calculations, even Muslims make mistakes about the dates.

Oh, and growing up in a culturally homogenous society leads you to wish everyone Merry Christmas. Even the Jews and Hindus I grew up with celebrated Xmas. But I am much more careful now. Usually I say have a great holiday or vacation.

Ah, such joy coming in to the office and finding messages asking why I finished one segment of work and not another last week. Perhaps because I worked on the finished segment first, rather than magically doing both at the same time? Or because I was 85 miles and an icy bridge from the office Wednesday and it would require direct divine intervention to make me work over the Christmas holiday? Take your pick...

Oh well, Big Boss was thrilled with what I brought in this morning, AND I gave her stuck car a push to get out of the icy parking lot, so I think I'm good for now.

Must remember to deposit last week's paycheck before rent comes due, and to get my hair cut in prep for a potential date/hookup Tuesday.