Skipping and diving just to wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and tell you I miss you terribly, and spend some hugs and ~mas around, and go back to do stuff that needs to be done.

We'll be back with our regular programming at 31/12. Stay tuned!

Erin, I know what you mean. I have a great time thinking about Christmas as a bunch of things, most especially like what Beth said. And though I am an Atheist/Agnostic/Church of Baseballarian, I think Jesus was an extremely swell dude, and I am always happy to celebrate a good person's existence.

I know how hard the forced frivolity can exacerbate peoples' already terrifically complicated family/friend/financial/spiritual situations, and I hate that about this time of year.

Let's see... we've been hanging with the neicephews- went to the store yesterday for a few last minute items and then just hung out. Made sketti & meatballs (fresh pappadelle with turkey/pork meatballs and a quick homemade tomato sauce) for dinner. Helped the kids write their letters to Santa, put 'em to bed and hung out with my sister and B-i-L watching the Twin Peaks episode of Psyche. When we left for our hotel, it was snowing lightly and very beautifully. Aw!

Today, we showed up a little after 8am (this was the predetermined time negotiated fiercely by the oldest nephew.) Came in to an 8 and 6 year old climbing the freaking walls and a frenzy of present opening. Then, eggnog french toast, and a nap (Sister and family went to B-i-L's parents for second Xmas.)

Now the kids are napping and Tom and I are visualizing dinner preparation, and I hope we actually get off our butts to do it.

Happy Day to all.

It's been lovely all around. Great party last night with yummy noms and stimulating conversation.

I gave my landlord a vegan cranberry/apple buckle and he gave me a really good bottle of wine. But more than that, he hugged me! I don't think that's happened in the 12 years I've lived here.

This morning, Bartleby's best friend, Bob and his people, came to get us and we hiked through Rock Creek Park for so long that the Bboy is completely worn out. He can't keep his eyes open, bless him.

I'm strongly considering a nap and then some cooking later.

The gluten-free banana bread recipe I've fiddled with has become the new go-to gift. It's beyond the yum, I'm tellin' ya. Plus, it makes the house smell fabulous.

A great day!

Hope yours is warm and bright.

I had a fantastic time with my surrogate family in Sacramento yesterday. It was a brilliant move to have Charlie watch the Wigglebutts for a couple of days so that I could drive up to Sac the night before and therefore not get caught in the 5.5 hours of traffic I sat in last year on Christmas eve. It was a relaxing, fun-filled day. And Charlie dropped the Wiggles back off this morning, and I'll be joining Charlie's family this afternoon for another feast and lots more laughter. I am a lucky SOB.

I am especially lucky to have made so many good friends through this here board. You all mean so much to me.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! We are at the circusND's family's house. Oh, there will be stories later, including about a surly parrot named Lola. But it's been fine all things considered, and now Christmas dinner is cooking and then we get to see Cass (yay!!) and then go home to have our own Christmas. Hurray!

This is not the first time that a parrot has played into the Christmas Morning story in my house. Of course last time it was a dead parrot.

I try really, really hard to not get my hackles up every time some total stranger wishes me a merry christmas as though of course EVERYone celebrates it.

I was out taking a walk and it put me in a quandary. The fact is that most people I would meet on this walk would likely be from Christian backgrounds and might even think me rude if I were to not wish them a Merry Christmas while passing. OTOH, of course there are people of other faiths in town and I didn't want to insult them by assuming they were celebrating Christmas. I ended up settling for "Good Morning".

I was raised Catholic. I consider myself kinda agnostic now. I see it as a winter feast (for those in the Northern hemisphere anyway) meant to cheer people up in the middle of a season where the sun is not around as much. It made sense to celebrate that when pagans were already celebrating Saturnalia, Sol Invictus, etc.

I'm lucky that Christmas does not put me into the funk that it does many people. I suffer from depression already. While it can sometimes remind me of how isolated I am, without a romance or a best friend, it's also just a nice time - lights, greenery, spiced hot drinks, fantastic baked goods. Mostly it's a good ritual for me.

Obligetory Holiday Greetings, Bitches!

This is not the first time that a parrot has played into the Christmas Morning story in my house. Of course last time it was a dead parrot.

How very Monty Python.

We've had dinner and soon there will be pie. My sister found an awesome nearly pristine 1960s Betty Crocker cookbook for our mom and it was a huge hit. Her original is falling apart. My sister rocks at gift-giving, if not receiving. I got a Nissan thermos (hot coffee all day!) and some garnet earrings off Etsy and the Inception DVD. It's been a nice day, and there may be snow on the way!

Much love to all my Bitches. I'm so glad that wherever I go, there you are.