That is a wee plastic king cake. I suggest you hide it in a giant cake shaped like a baby.

Heh.

I suggest you hide it in a giant cake shaped like a baby.

That would be awesome and I want pictures. . .

Lee - I flaked out last night. maybe tonight.

Okay!

That package road tripped with me from NOLA to NC - I had hoped to mail it earlier but things were just too hectic.

It was worth waiting for.

So--my wrapup. 2012 was a year where:

• I spent as much on medical care as I got paid in my first post-university job. As a programmer (I am going to be challenging some stuff--I need a msbelle, I think). Rating: :∧⊂ :∧⊂ :∧⊂
• My mother went into remission from cancer (sweet protector of all things tiny, so she did--she's better now, clearly, on the Christmas 6 months after her all clear than she was 10 months before her diagnosis. She's even seeing a physical therapist top help her general posture and strength, because she was drawing in on herself when she was ill, and physically as well as mentally. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
• My family came together--for different things. My mother's illness, my sister's 40th. Just, in gneneral. Rating: ♥♥♥
• My head still hurts and I'm faced with experimental surgery not even explicitly targeting the headaches, and it's invasive and scary and I don't want to hasten the singularity this way. Rating: :∧⊂ :∧⊂ :∧⊂ :∧⊂
• My job: I cannot have complained and exulted more about it. No, I have idea how to work the things that aren't in my job description, but they're letting me do more and more stuff, and every time I get yelled at, I go back in with a conciliatory business-related plan of some sort to make that not happen again. It's draining, but it's rewarding. Rating: ♥♥
• The closest around me seem on an even keel for love, jobs, and health. Rating: ♥♥♥

When I got home from work yesterday, there was a notice on my door that there was a package waiting for me at the Post Office. I just picked it up, and it was from my Secret Santa, Shir! Yay!

I got a lovely shawl (perfect for me, who is always freezing in my office), an adorable silver charm bracelet, a cookbook all about cuisine from Jerusalem (can't wait to try some of the recipes!), some coffee-flavored swirled halva, and some delicious-looking chocolates. Thank you so much, Shir!!!!

I'm a little worried about my Secret Santa package. I mailed it before Christmas, over three weeks ago, now. At the risk of outing myself, it did have a ways to travel, but I hope it's just in transit, and not Lost Forever. Giftee, I hope it gets to you, soon!

Oh, yay! So glad it arrived!

The book is Jerusalem by Ottolenghi and Tamimi, and wow. I heard a lot about it, but the minute I saw it and read a bit I understood the hype and immidetly wanted to buy copies for all of my friends abroad. The way they write about the city through its cuisine is simply marvelous.

And a note for my secret Santa: the address I gave is my parents' address, and they didn't go to the post office since Monday (car broke down). It should have arrived, but most likely I just didn't get the notice about it. I hope I'll have it this week!

Oh! I've been told that the package arrived, and waiting for me at home.

Can't wait to get it in person, but it will take another 3-4 days before I'll open it.