How are souffles supposed to smell, Kat?

Not burnt. They had bubbled over and spilled to the bottom where it burned. oops.

Who's more popular at Christmastime in Orange County: Santa Claus or Darth Vader?

Darth Vader, by a long shot.

That was the case Saturday in Irvine, where autistic children and their parents celebrated the holidays at California Integrative Hyperbaric Center. The guests of honor were St. Nick, of course, and the 501st Legion, an organization of hobbyists who dress up in Star Wars costumes for promotional and charitable events.

[link]

So glad to hear Allyson is feeling better! Hope to hear ita is starting to feel better, too!

Saw my parents yesterday and did gift exchange then. They are going to Georgia today to see my grandmother and then on to their condo in for a week. WH has no family so we didn't have to plan for them. Still have to ship gifts to my brother and his wife in Scotland. We'll get to see them in February when they come for a visit

Yesterday afternoon WH couldn't wait any longer so we opened gifts then. So, today we haven't really done anything. I think the plan is to see Sweeny Todd this afternoon/evening.

It's strange having WH around today. He almost always has to work on Christmas. I can't remember the last time he had today off.

Mmm, souffles. At least it was just the bubbled over part that burnt?

I discovered we have Panera in B'more, just up the road from me.

Chesterfields for Christmas (Jan, 1938)

Awww.... a pretty lady under a mistletoe holding a carton of cigarettes, which has a picture of a pretty lady under a mistletoe holding a carton of cigarettes, which has a picture of a pretty lady under a mistletoe holding a carton of cigarettes....

Gotta catch up on emails I let slide due to horrible illness.

Spoke with nephew, who keeps asking, "Do you want to make cookies with me?"

OF COURSE I DO!

Also, "how long does the plane ride take?"

Five hours.

"That's FOREVER!"

eBay auction:

Drive Someone Insane with Postcards
When you care enough to send the very bewildering.

Description
You are bidding on a rare chance to traumatize a treasured friend or relative with baffling, mind-numbing, mystery correspondence from abroad.

Here is the arrangement:

I will be spending the Christmas holiday in Poland in a tiny village that has one church with no bell because angry Germans stole it. Aside from vodka, there is not a lot for me to do.

During the course of my holiday I will send three postcards to one person of your choosing.

These postcards will be rant-ravingly insane, yet they will be peppered with unmistakable personal details about the addressee. Details you will provide me.

The postcards will not be coherently signed, leaving your mark confused, guessing wildly, crying out in anguish.

"How do I know this person? And how does he know I had a ferret named Goliath?"

Your beloved friend or relative will try in vain to figure out who it is. Best of all, it can't possibly be you because you'll have the perfect alibi: you're not in Poland. You're home, wherever that is, doing whatever it is you do when not driving your friends loopy with international prankery.

Your target will rack their brains in the shower. At dinner. During long drives. At work. On the golf course.

"Who did I tell about the time I got fired by a note on my chair?" they'll ponder, "And where the hell is Szczeczinek?"

But wait, there's more.

To add to the sheer confusion and genuine discomfort, one missive will be on an original promotional postcard announcing the 1995 television premiere of Central Park West on CBS.

Another will be a postcard celebrating Atlanta's disastrous hosting of the 1996 summer Olympic games.

...

The auction is over - it went for US $415.00.

Grace with very large gingerbread man: [link]

That is a brilliant auction.

ND...I concur, my thoughts exactly