I think of the lights as winter decoration. Just one way to help fight off the cold and dreary until the days get longer and green things start growing again.

I was thinking of leaving the window lights for a bit, but I'm pretty strict with putting away the crèche and tree once the twelve days of Christmas are up.

Shir we have Max in NY. Before he opened his stores here, Nilly helped me get things ordered from him for my ex-companie's office in (forgive the spelling) Herzigolia.

Shir we have Max in NY. Before he opened his stores here, Nilly helped me get things ordered from him for my ex-companie's office in (forgive the spelling) Herzigolia.

Ay, there's the rub: there are different menus for different countries. They claim foreigners have other culinary preferences. I claim that we're all human beings with taste buds, and they're just keeping the good stuff at home.

They claim foreigners have other culinary preferences.

Well, our tastebuds do get trained pretty early by what's given to us and what's available. Hence, they should make Max Brenner available to us, earlier! And more European goodies, too! I'm actually starting to see a lot more variety in our largest supermarket here in Madison, they've seriously expanded on what they call the "ethnic" aisles. I may have to see what I can find there, now, because I know they've started carrying some of the more esoteric stuff I never saw before. Actual made in whatever stuff and not just Americanized versions.

javachick gives great gift!!Set starts here: [link]

Thank you SO MUCH!! I love love love it!!! Woohoo!!

javachick gave me the one in the middle. [link] The Wicked one. It's amazing. It has glitter in it and it plays "For Good". It's amazing.

I had a wonderful surprise when I got home from work today--a package from Jilli! A package with glorious things inside. There were wonderful accoutrements for knitting, including a set of handmade stitch markers (they will come so very much in handy when I get back to working on my dragon shawl), and a retractable tape measure in a case that looks like a wee sheep (you pull on the tail to get the tape measure out).

There was also a scarf-to-be (a ball of a nummy looking shimmering black/green yarn) and an absolutely gorgeous scarf-that-is (silky black with gold trim and silver paisleys woven into each end and embroidered on the body of the scarf). I also got candy! There's an organic chocolate bar and some smoked salt caramels (which I will have tonight - salt + caramel = perfection, in my opinion).

Thank you so much, Jilli! I LOVE my gift, and I am warmed by the thought that clearly went into putting the gift together.

Oh yay! I'm so glad that you like all your goodies!

I may have to go get myself one of the sheep tape measures; it was so cute!

To chime in on the Max Brenner, we have him in Melbourne too. There was one on the ground floor of my old office building.

I may have to go get myself one of the sheep tape measures; it was so cute!

It is ADORABLE! I saw one like it ages ago, and coveted it. I shall have to think of a name for him.

aurelia, it's pretty cold here, too, but: the first robins have arrived and the spring lilies have about 5 inches of growth already, just leaves so far, but they're coming. (Move to Nor Cal!)