Better is good, Ginger. Hope strength follows soon.

Safe travels, travelers.

Cat is sleeping on my right hand, hard to type.

I hope you feel up to traveling soon, Ginger.

I'm also flying out tomorrow, but just up to MI. I mailed such presents as I bought straight up, so I should be able to get by with carry-ons.

I know that as far as my mother is concerned, any day I can get there will be Christmas, but I was really trying to be there for Christmas. My only accomplishment since Thursday has be the creation of piles of wet Kleenex.

I am almost all packed, except things I'll need in the morning. Somehow I filled not only the suitcase I'm checking (with clothes, shoes, etc), but also an entire duffle bag (with food and presents) and my backpack (with my purse, computer, etc). Good grief--and that's WITH shipping probably half the presents directly to my sister! Really wish I didn't have to schlep the duffle bag around but it would be bad enough if the airline lost my bag of clothes (heaven forfend). If they lost all the presents I'd go batshit. And it's a duffle bag I'm not fond of so maybe I can ditch it in Indy and just carry the backpack on the way home. Maybe.

Safe travels, all!

And good morning...I woke up almost two hours ago and am now waiting to board my plane. I hate flying back to Indiana--not only is it heinously expensive but my choices seem to either be leave godawful early, or get in at midnight (which is not nice on my sister either picking me up or being awake to let me in the house when I eventually get there!)

Cross your fingers my bag gets there with me, and I don't utterly blow the diet I've been on since 12/1! So far it's been working but it's much easier to stick to when I don't leave the house and eat alone. Eating family meals or going out to dinner or whatever will be a big test.

I am once again driving in circles. I will drive out to the Catskills on Wednesday.

I get to head to the doctor today to get antibiotics before we leave town tomorrow. I guess it's better than going to work?

We leave in the morning of the 24th to travel up to Iowa, and come back the evening o the 26th. I still have a few gifts to get, wrapping to finish and some baking to do, but it's under control.

Maria came to KC yesterday for the day and we had a WONDERFUL time! Total spontaneous visit, and it was a marvel of synchronicity -- Micah came in for his holiday stay the same day WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF MARIA'S FLIGHT, in the same terminal, and, when Micah's bag got sent to who-knows-where instead of KC, I already had to drive Maria back to the airport and the bag was ready to be picked up!

Maria got to meet my darling husband and my sweet boy, Micah, and we had a loooong, delicious, Bellini'd fancy brunch at a swank restaurant in downtown KC. We talked, we cursed, we laughed, we charmed the waiter...it was too short a trip, but it was absolutely bloody fantastic.

Later, I couldn't find the travel menorah I had/have somewhere, so I made one from the zillion tea light I have on a blue place mat, elevating the...shumash? that one candle, and Micah, pronounced Jewish-scholar-expert-in-residence, pronounced it fine.

And then he got a Deadpool poster, and freaked, because Deadpool is his FAVORITE FAVORITE OF ALL FAVORITES. And then we lay on the couches and watched Edge of Tomorrow, because Winter Soldier is only for rent in the stupid Redboxes right now, and we were all in PJ's.

REALLY. GOOD. DAY.

watched Edge of Tomorrow

That movie was actually really good. I wasn't sure what to expect, because Tom Cruise is kind of a tool, but it was great, due in large part to Cruise. That was a perfect role for him, and it reminded me that he can actually act when he's not being a tool. And Emily Blunt kicks ALL ASS.

t edit

Deadpool is his FAVORITE FAVORITE OF ALL FAVORITES

If he hasn't read the Marvel NOW trades of Deadpool: Dead Presidents, he will love it. It's ridiculously smart and, of course, super funny.