And I didn't even mention that M and I took a grownups-only trip to SF in July, and got to hang out with a bunch of Buffistas! Definitely a highlight of the year.

Loved seeing you two.

Another vendor found, order placed! My poor giftee may not see a gift before Easter (well, Valentine's), but by gum, it will have the stuff in it that I originally intended!

aurelia, I'm so glad you got it! There's one more thing you should have gotten, but I can't seem to check on it at the moment.

Okay, I thought I would eventually figure out who my Santa was, but no luck. Speak up, Santa! I'm two-thirds done with Everfair and working on my acrylics, and I'd like to thank you by name!

Waves to Emily

Umm, hi? I get that Part B hasn't arrived yet, as it identifies me (oh, Israel Post. A friend and a foe. Or a friend that is usually really late, but then brings presents and bills? Hard to tell.)

(Also, for my own Santa: nothing from the post yet, but it's all very normal, and I'm checking it regularly. As you do with a friend. And/or a foe).

Yay! Thank you, Shir! I just finished the book, and am still making plans for painting with the acrylics. Thank you so much!

No surprises on the mail delay. I remember sending something to Nilly, back in the day, and being astounded at how long it was *supposed* to take, let alone actually did!

Shir! I just got the package today! Lovely yummy pistachio chocolate, and bookmark from the National Library of Israel, and postcard of - what IS this postcard? I shall Google translate it post-haste. Thank you! It gave all warm feelings.

ETA: I am apparently still subscribed to the Goodbye and Good Riddance threads from 2007 and 2008. Man, I haven't been a regular here in a LONG time.

Harvey and Daniel and I thank the Sekrit Solstice Santa for the totally adorbs cat-themed pillow case. Sammie isn't sure about it yet, she ran when I opened it to show her.

ETA: But don't trust Sammie's reactions to things, she wants to eat the deshedding glove we just got.

Finally got off the box I have assembled, and forgot the card, which had a recipe! So the recipe follows as a teaser. Toast 2 cps whole oats on a cookie sheet for 20 min at 300. Take out and mix warm oats with 1 cp sliced almonds. Spray pam or whatever on cookie sheet. Add 1 tbl melted butter, 1/2 cp maple syrup, and 1 tsp oil whisked together to oats and nuts. Spread mixture on cookie sheet and bake for 15. Add 1/2 cup cranberries and bake for another 10 min. Take out and let cool completely then crumble into a container for tasty granola. Oh, there may be granola in the box.

Erin, you are the best and you have made me tremendously happy (there might have been some shrieking. That may continue for the rest of the day and weekend). Thank you so much! this week has felt like a marathon and this gave me the extra push to survive it, and to do so with a smile.

You guys, Erin sent me Pat Robertson's best recruitment ad to feminism ever quote of "feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians", as a poster. I have been wanting this for years.

And Emily - the postcard is from the NLI's postcard collection, and the bookmark is based on Ardon Windows: [link] If I recall my selection correctly, the postcard is one of the early pictures/drawings of Jerusalem, and it just says the name of the donor and that it is from the library's collection. The chocolate too is local.

You got it!!! I was a little nervous! Oh, I'm so glad you liked it!!!

...was there anything else in the package? Because there should have been and now I'm worried they fell out or Customs took them.