Very nice, JZ.

Once, our old priest told about working with homeless folk, I think in NYC. He was trying to help, with advice on some matter, and the fellow he was speaking with told him that he was tired that night and could he please just have the food. It kind of makes you stop and think. On the other hand, at the Glory Hole, the people coming for food will chew you out if you forget and start handing it out without a prayer first. Diff'rent strokes and all that, I guess.

But I still like your city too, JZ! Good folk.

JZ, that's the sort of thing that I love about the holidaze. Beauty really can happen, and the source can be very surprising. Very.

libkitty, I don't know you, so feel free to skip, but I wanted you to know that from the outside looking in, I think it was very thoughtful of you to contact your uncle. Is he your blood uncle, or is it his wife who is blood? Either way, I'm sure he appreciated it. And it's my firm belief that even if he didn't "deserve" the call (say, he did something truly horrible to his wife), extended kindness is a gift. You gave him a gift.

My aunt is my mother's sister. But as I say, he's been in the family longer than I have.

Right. We had the same thing happen only it was my uncle who was mother's brother. When they divorced, we "kept" my aunt.

When another aunt and uncle divorced, we kept both. My uncle's first wife even babysat for the second wife's kids upon rare occasions, and both attended family gatherings. But their divorce was amazingly amicable.

My uncle's first wife even babysat for the second wife's kids upon rare occasions,

Wow, that's very amicable!

Erin, I'm skimming since I'm on the phone, but I am extremely impressed by your Closet Conquest! Are you for hire, cuz...

Gilded cage, huh? I can find a day job in CA, I'm sure. For a guilded (gilded) cage, for sure! Maybe even for all-brass cage at this point.

(I had three vodka tonics. Tall ones. I feel all warm and expansive, and I keep opening the closet and gazing upon the contents warmly. Is this Freudian?)

Erin, when you are done with ND & KT's closet(s), can the Gilded cage be shifted south a bit? My closet needs a LOT of help. Not sure if it should be classified as one LARGE closet, or one SMALL apartment. Either way, dust masks will be provided. :: mmm, I may have lost her on those last two points::

ION, day one in the desert went well. Kept Neice occupied the vast majority of the day, so Sis & BiL could prep the house for big party tomorrow. Had the lil one help me make brownies. She *almost* did a few things wrong and rushed, thus receiving wrath from my sister, but not enough wrath to prevent permission to lick the beaters of chocolate.

IOcarN, as i started to back out of the driveway in search of holiday greeting cards, the Master Error Light on the Prius lit up!!! AAAAG! Called the dealership (thankfully open today). They said, should be ok, just bring it in when back in town. When i went back out to car, no light! Sister says she gets that all the time up here. They think it has to do with the high altitude causing low pressure in some lines, until the car warms up or something. Still gotta take it in for a look-see. shit, Wednesday is gonna be PACKED.

tomorrow, party with strangers, then wrap all night. The lil one is gonna make out ROYALLY! (mom too, and she has NO idea either).

Perhaps it was the influence of all that peppermint.

Could be! Could be.

libkitty, I agree with what everyone else has said. You did what you needed to do, and I think that makes it the right thing right there. So sad, though, that the family is going through all that.

{{{connie and DH}}}

The lil one is gonna make out ROYALLY!

That's so fun! I love spoiling little ones.

...the Master Error Light on the Prius lit up!!! AAAAG! Called the dealership (thankfully open today). They said, should be ok, just bring it in when back in town. When i went back out to car, no light! Sister says she gets that all the time up here. They think it has to do with the high altitude causing low pressure in some lines, until the car warms up or something.

Don't sweat it, omnis audis. Odds are, when you last filled up you didn't tighten the gas cap quite enough, and the emissions control system is sensing the leak.

Many auto parts stores nowadays have trouble code readers, and will check them for you gratis. With the Prius and it's nice LCD screen, I bet there is an even easier way to get to the engine diagnostics -- if you can get the mechanic to tell you how.