Okay, technically not a Secret Santa thing, but still: included in the Buffy bounty from sj's library sale was a Gorey Holiday card, a cute little duckie dressed for winter weather and a little kaleidoscope! Really, people, when's the last time you looked through a kaleidoscope? It's really very zen.

Thanks so much, sj, you really made me smile!

P.S. The check's in the mail (or will be, the next time mail goes out).

Thanks so much, sj, you really made me smile!

Yay! I'm glad you liked everything. We've picked up Gorey Holiday cards every year at the Gorey museum since we were married in Cape Cod, but we save them for people we know who will appreciate them. I was going back and forth with the duckie and the kaleidoscope. I couldn't decide if people were going to think they were cool or childish, but I love them.

I love kaleidoscopes

I love kaleidoscopes, too.

Kat, yay! I'm so glad you like it all. I found the bracelet at a consignment store, looking for that "one more thing." And the mug was a hint from a helper elf. And I meant every word.

I love kaleidoscopes, too.

Did you get yours with the cookies?

Coming back to the land of the living (2.5 hours in the dental chair starting at 6:30 am + Vicodin + Benadryl to counteract itching from amoxicillin = dull haze for 24 hours or so) and very pleased to find on checking my mail some lovely little owl dish cloths and an awesome sparkly silver and purple pendant from a still secret Santa! Or two since I'm not sure they're the same Santa.

Yay!

I'm getting a little worried that a box I mailed last week has not reached it's recipient.

Also, I received a gift from overseas with no indication of who it is from. It was some Russian nesting doll, but they are robots! I love them!

So thank you, whoever you are!

Again, this morning, I was leaving for work, and there were two packages in the lobby waiting for me!

One of the boxes contained two awesome books, and the other had some really good tea!

THANK YOU, JULIANA!!! You are an awesome Santa!!!

Also, if you haven't heard, I will be in San Francisco from January 15-19.

Oh, yay! (Both that they got there so fast and that you will be visiting.) My mother (who is the Tea Drinker in my family, I'm Team Coffee all the way) really loves that tea, so I thought you might enjoy it as well.

EEP EEP EEP!

Hec just came by to drop Matilda off for an afternoon at work with me, and he brought along a package that had just come from the BEST SECRET SANTA IN HISTORY. Matilda helped me open it all and there has been so much squeeing.

First, a box of wee DIY origami Totoro critters (including Catbus!), which I only hope I can manage to assemble since the instructions are all in Japanese.

Next, in a salute to Santa's region of origin, a pack of Necco wafers.

Then, more closely local, rosemary truffle sea salt caramels from McCrea's Candy in Boston.

Then, even more locally, three delicious bags of tasty spiced nuts (chocolate lavender almonds, sea salt & lemongrass cashews, and cayenne mango almonds) from Q's Nuts of Somerville.

And lastly and most magnificently, from far far far far oh so far away, out in the black, KAYLEE'S PARASOL.

Jesse, you are the rockin'est cowgirl EVER. I love every little bit of this oh so much!

KAYLEE'S PARASOL. I am so thoroughly swouncing!