OK, finally talked to Mom regarding overpayment for trip expenses. There was much skirting of the issue... or maybe more accurately, dancing about the issue. Her final decision of the overage amounted to a collection of: "Well, since you didn't tell me where you wanted a gift certificate, I figured while I had the checkbook out, I'd tack it on... or you could use it for the house if you find one (that's when I knew she was dancing)... or you know, any other expenses. But don't worry. If I need the money, I'll ask, and you can give it back then, but that won't happen. So spend it. "

So, on the sage advice of the wise WindSparrow, I'm going into multi-gift certificate mode. And I even slyly found out what stores she likes while talking about how little she drives now, "and how far is it to Trader Joes?" "O, thats only like 3 miles, but I usually go to the Statler Brothers..." Ya, very slick. I'm sure she suspected NOTHING.

You're such a good son, o_u.

I think I need a piece of pumpkin pie to help me sleep.

Omnis, I'm glad that your discussion didn't reach critical mass. I hope the gift certificate idea works out to be lots of fun for both of you. Because... well, I dunno, maybe I get more mileage out of them, but when I get a gift certificate, it's so much fun, like being given the entire store, and all I have to do is choose.

I just hope she spends them. She's more of a penny-pincher than I. She'll save something for sake of saving it.

sleep~ma Kristin. I'm sending you my doziness.

is impressed by the various Bitches' vibrator-mending-fu

But then again, I am a bit of a grinch when it comes to Xmas. JUST CELEBRATE THE SOLSTICE PEOPLE!! Stop calling half that crap "Christian"

See, I'm with you on this one. Trudy, I do see your argument for going with Christian because of common usage, but I disagree. I really don't like muddy thinking about what is meant by Christian (or Muslim, or Jewish or whatever). It's precisely that kind of mixed up notion of what a religion is that does my head in, albeit this is the harmless thin end of the wedge, with things like this poor woman being over at the thicker edge. I think it's healthy to recognise how few of the trappings of the holiday season actually have anything to do with Christianity.

(!!!and, apropos of nothing, I find myself suddenly suspecting that I owe you an email from weeks ago! Do I? I do, don't I? God, I freaking suck!)

This morning our Infants performed The Bossy King (the twee musical tale of the little known Fourth King who left before the other three became famous. Except, you know, that one-line summary makes it sound like it might be good. It isn't. It's better than it started out, because I rewrote it to give it a little more humour and oomph, and even, ironically cranked up the Jesus a bit, because it needed doing for narrative purposes) before the rest of the school. This evening they're performing it before mums and dads. So once they'd all scooted off home at 1pm (an hour and a half earlier than usual, so they can have a nap if need be) we got the chairs and decor set up.

We are performing outside, in the courtyard. Two Christmas trees appeared from somewhere, and as I was helpfully trimming one with tinsel and kiddies' DIY paper holly wreathes and camels and snowmen, whilst sweating cobs in the freaking tropical heat, the sheer weirdness of it all overwhelmed me. I mean, it's such a chaotic palimpset of a thing, you know? The tree's a pagan relic from chilly Europe, the snowmen are secular reminders of European winter, the freaking camels and sheep are the only things remotely related to Christianity, inasmuchas they're middle eastern...and here we are, in the tropics, getting mostly Buddhist kids performing a cheesy sort-of-nativity tale to a mostly Buddhist audience.

Bonkers.

Fay, you are living proof of how multi-cultured our world really is. Too funny.

ETA -ION - I gotta say, I really love it when the commercial breaks happen as you get to the end of a row in knitting, so your hand is easily freed to hit the SKIP button and breeze past those pesky ads. another 4" or so done! Not so consistent in the tightness, but looks fine, especially for a beginner. Glad I went with dark colors, I think they hide the mistakes more.

Suzi, in case K-Bug didn't find her phone yet, here's some extra strength Finding Phone~ma for her.

I say you don't have enough lights until you have your own pad-mounted transformer and your house can be seen from space.

Ginger, you need to make a roadtrip to Hampden in Baltimore. You would be so happy. There's an entire block like this on 24th street. I may not like the superlighted houses in the 'burbs, but oh lordy does that one block make me smile. And, supposedly, you can see it from pretty high up.