Oh Jesse, I'm so sorry. It's never easy.

You're not a life-ruiner, Amyth. They probably need the swift kicks.

Suela, I am sorry about M's doggie! He was a sweetie even if he did drool on my boot during book group.

Jesse, it's never easy. I am glad you and Homer have a last night to truly cuddle. I am so sorry.

Cheddar and chocolate cheese is surprisingly good. I mean. I'm surprised that I like it, but I've just finished my second block of it. But it's a total umami thing, I think. Also, as a grilled cheese sandwich on challah it's tops.

Has anyone else tried TJs cheddar and chocolate cheese?

I have. It's lovely on crackers with a glass of sweet red wine, but that's pretty much it. Useless otherwise.

Jesse, so sorry about Homer, it doesn't sound good. I'm snuggling my kities extra hard tonight. (Well, I'm using a heating pad to lure them closer for snuggles.)

I got home from a pre-board-meeting "cocktail" (where I was covered in mud and not wearing any shoes), and it went good, I was actually able to not be a wallflower hanging out with my colleagues and chat with a couple of board members. I was all proud of myself until I got home and found a bit of bruschetta hanging out on my henley and a rather enormous loose piece of thread from said shirt hanging out the buttons.

Really? How much of an embarrassing dipshit am I? And how dare no one point this out to me at work? I'm crossing my fingers that it's because no one noticed.

ION, chose my yankee swap item from one of the gifts my mom gave me that is beautiful but totally not my style. A mirror encrusted with cameos and costume jewelery. On one hand, I'm sure it's worth far more than the $20 limit, on the other hand it's free for me and I don't want it, and on the other hand I'm terrified that it'll be seen as cheap and tacky in and of itself. Especially since things that I think are cheap and tacky are seen as divine by those I consider the more sophisticated of my colleagues, so there's no accounting for taste (really, you liked the plastic leaves with the little styrofoam balls glued on it?!).

It's looking like no living wage increases this January, and no bonuses this December. And our budget next year is shredded to "we can't afford paperclips". This is bullshit. Where did I file my resume? We're an arboretum, and our tree-care got slashed by 75%. Sure, f*** safety pruning or preservation of historic trees. We can now afford 6 hours of professional labour, and that's at a discount.

Kat, I can totally see that. Hell, I put chocolate and cinnamon in my black bean chile soup. But it still scares me. I have weird sweet-savory issue, as in I don't like lobster or crab because of their balance.

Jesse, I can't imagine having to make that decision, I'm so sorry.

I'm feeling all christmasy, but it feels a week late, even though christmas is a week away.

N & G have a big to-do on Friday. Both classes were asked to bring 150 bottles of water. HOW is that possible ? How many people are coming to watch kids recite the Gingerbread Man? But I do have 70 bottles of water in my car. Yay environmental nightmare.

Also, I'm supposed to bring a multicultural dish. What should I bring? K said since I'm german/czech, I should bring corn dogs from weinerschneizel.Sigh. Thought kids would be happy with that.

I'm sorry, Jesse. I remember when you got Homer.

Just lost the Little Drummer Boy game--to some marching band Hubby's watching on TV, with a very enthusiastic drum line. It doesn't sound very good on trumpets etc.