I think this is my favorite use of the western PA "needs verb-ed" construction ever.

I'm always surprised when somebody is baffled when I use "needs verb-ed". It's so useful and emphatic. It's probably my most invisible regionalism.

co-worker in eastern Washington

My maternal grandfather moved there to join his uncle from western Pennsylvania in the early 20th century. Perhaps my relatives infected the speech patterns there.

That sounds pretty good, Suzi. I haven't really figured out how to approach the day yet - slept for 12 hours last night and haven't entirely woken up, I think. No elves took care of my laundry and dishes while I hibernated, more's the pity.

I am feeling excellent about my day! Slept in, but not too much, went to see my dad, who was in great spirits, took myself out to lunch, did a little Christmas shopping, did a little baking supplies and grocery shopping, and am now ready to stick to the sofa for the duration. My mother is out of town for work, and man, I like running my own schedule, even when it's still tied to my father's. The only problem is the supermarket was out of peppermint extract, but I don't actually need it until next weekend, and maybe my mother has some, anyway.

Nice!

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate the lighting in my kitchen? It is a lot.

Yay for good days. Relaxing here. Instead of cooking I made frozen pizza and bought beer for the billiard boys. They were delighted.

The windows are all open. I am half reading and half watching a couple of young men practicing tight rope walking in the park. They stretch the cord between a couple trees and just jump right up on it and walk. I've seen them there before but it draws my attention since it is on the "impossible" list for me.

I did some housework, but mostly calling this a day of rest.

DH put LED light strips under our kitchen cabinets and the light is great. He did put outlets in, but they just plug in if there are available outlets.

Tightrope boys packed up and left.

Also, typing on the nook is not as nice as a laptop or iPad. Many corrections.

Today was a half wash what with sleeping in until 1, but I've managed to get the cats fed, myself showered and dressed, a load of laundry in the wash, bought the last major Christmas gift, Christmas cards, gotten a haircut, and eaten in just under 3 hours. I feel like I can call it a day.

I'm putting in some battery-operated under-cabinet lighting, Laura. Have installed one of three lights already and it's not bad. Meanwhile it looks like one tube of the overhead four I swear I just recently replaced has burnt out and that means none of them will light up and that is sapping my will to even go into the kitchen today.

I went for a run this morning, which felt good (although my pace was still very slow), ate up the last of the kale in an omeletty-type thing, then cleaned the house a bit, did some laundry, then spent an hour or so planting bulbs along the fenceline and pulling weeds.

Oh my aching back.

Oh, and I finished the book for book club (which is tomorrow).

Now I should probably go make pie crusts. I have a thing at work on Wednesday and I won't have time to make anything tomorrow night or Tuesday night. So I figured I can make pie crusts today and freeze them, and then Tuesday night I can fill one (or both) and bake them, which shouldn't be too hard.