Yay, I'm glad they got there safely.

The fruitcake does have alcohol in it, as well as organic dried fruits (no sulfites), pecans and almonds. I do hope you enjoy--early reports are that it came out good. Also, the batter was awesome.

I do love Secret Santa-ing.

I got a B in my health class!

heh. ayup. Sparky's fault.

Hey! I was working people!

Great pictures, Sox. Awesome gifting, Suzi!

2007 brought big changes. I accepted a job on the other side of the country, and the DH and I packed up 10 years worth of memories from Berkeley and moved them to D.C. in February. Instead of unpacking, we went to Paris. We began to enjoy living near enough to my cousin, Sox, not to mention my parents and one of my sisters and her family. We missed California a lot. After 30+ informational interviews with alumni from his undergrad and graduate school, my DH switch careers and landed a job in the field he wanted in June. In October we closed on our first house, spent November coordinating workmen and painters, and then moved (again!). That same weekend, we adopted a beagle puppy from a rescue organization, something I'd been waiting to do for 10 years.

Change is good, but I'm sort of hoping to enjoy 2008 without seeing another moving box.

yay! yay! Box is away! Mile long line at the PO. And 1 person working behind three registers. Poor PO people. Their scheduler must be broken.

So. Those of you following along in Natter may have realized I was pretty close to a meltdown, and feeling decidely Scroogy. (Scroogey?). Well, anyway, I was.

And then. And then. A guy comes up behind me and taps me on the shoulder. I nearly bite his head off.

"Brenda Mercer?"

"Why?"

"Package."

Anne, you rock the world.

[Aside]

Things Anne could not have known:

1. I, Brenda, am a maroon and do not have proper gloves this winter. I have arm warmers (inspired by juliana), I have fingerless gloves (inspired by the scooter), but I have no actual gloves. Long story.

2. Among my Thanksgiving crowd is a person from St. Louis who recently has started bringing with her the most amazing local chocolates.

3. I was (again, see Natter) very close to flipping out today.

And right in the middle of it all, I get an unexpected package containing the loveliest multicolored (but all my colors) hand-knit mittens, several kinds of chocolate from Bissingers (see #2 above), and even some funny and tasty blueberry gummy pandas. (They're even organic!)

And at the exact, precise moment I most needed them.

Cannot thank you enough. Once again - hell, it's practically a cliche by now - Buffistas come in with the save.

To sum up: Anne rocks.

That's awesome. I'm glad that happened, brenda.

Nicely timed, Anne.

My big thing for 2007 was becoming a homeowner. In fact, I just unpacked a bunch of boxes and put stuff away. The room looks oddly empty :)

Sparky, I didn't realize you guys bought a house! (This is what happens when I take on a new job that blocks B.org, fooey.) Congratulations! But sadly this means you won't be just up the street the next time I visit my brother.

I just got the most wonderful card from Thailand. It has Santa and, um, water buffalo? I'm not sure what they are, but I just absolutely love the card, love it. Plus, Fay has the most beautiful handwriting. Thanks Fay!

Your card from Alaska is late, but should be waiting for you in Thailand when you get back.