I just got back from Xmas shopping. I wasn't sure if my family secret giftee has pierced ears so I got this really pretty pendant with real flowers.

Then Dad calls and tells me that my secret giftee is really my almost 9 yr old second cousin-ish (he's my first cousin's kid) who is a boy, which throws a wrench into things. If this were his twin sister I would be fine. However, Dad said he has to go out and buy something and he thought of a good present my little cousin likes to read so Dad is going to pick up a Hardy Boys book. I think that's in the right age range.

Now I have to make a pile of Xmas gifts to return.

Piltdown Man's left femur...Socrate's diary...and 12 oz. of weapon's-grade plutonium.

I was wondering WHERE I left those!

When I wrap Xmas presents, I always put something in the VCR that I've already seen, because that way I don't have to pay close attention, like I would with something new. Silly me, I put in the 6-hour (maybe 8?) BBC miniseries of The Buccaneers, and it's sucked me right in.

TCG and I have been baking all day. So far we have made peppermint bark, brownies, and chocolate covered oreos. I am so disorganized that at one point I put the wax paper in the refrigerator. Next year I will not leave everything until the last minute. Of course, I say that every year.

Erin, you are brave to tackle that closet. I have moved twice in the past five years and I still have a junk closet filled with who knows what.

I was wondering WHERE I left those!

I think this means that my sanity, my favorite MAC lipstick and my emergency stash of Xanax are in a closet of yours, Tep, cause I can't find 'em anywhere.

(although I'm thinking the sanity and Xanax are a lost cause. I'm not giving up on the lipstick though -- it's discontinued, and the most important of the 3.)

I just got home from the grocery store. Man it's crazy in there. I'd forgotten the saltines for the chili, that's all. I was in there almost an hour, standing in the express lane. The lady two people in front of me dropped a bottle of wine which, of course, exploded. The cashier called for clean-up. A goofy boy with red hair came over with a mop, walked in a confused circle on the broken glass, put the mop down, and tried to escape. He didn't even apply mop to floor. I took the mop, pushed all the glass out of the line of traffic (and my children's fingers) and put a wet floor sign up, fortuitously sitting at a nearby register that did not have a wet floor.

Good luck, Jen.

I have to wrap Christmas presents for my family when I get back to Pasadena tonight. I have to pick up some cards for family but hopefully I can stop on the way to San Diego tomorrow and do that.

second cousin-ish (he's my first cousin's kid)

First cousin once removed.

I went present shopping yesterday. I skipped the mall, and went to the downtown area of the next town over. Got most of what I needed to get, but they are sadly lacking in a store that sells CDs or DVDs.

My gate currently has the entire population of at least 3, possibily 4, Southwest flights attempting to fit in about 50 seats. Not pretty. Yes, I do kind of wish I'd spent the extra $150 to fly on another airline, why do you ask?

Sigh. It's cheap. It's cheap. Must keep repeating this mantra.

I think this means that my sanity, my favorite MAC lipstick and my emergency stash of Xanax are in a closet of yours, Tep

The only MAC lipstick I have is the long-discontinued Eddie Izzard Sexie lipglass, which you'll have to pry from my cold dead fingers.

And I prefer Ativan to Xanax.

Bah, must go work out.

Thankfully I was able to do most of my shopping through Amazon. My family is making out pretty well on the gifts this year.

Sorry you are stuck in Southwest Hell sweetie. I hate that airline. Things are quiet here in the Delta terminal and I've got my fingers crossed that I score my first class upgrade.