Aidan just took out the boxes for Salvation Army. They are the only people who pick up in my area. He also took out the three iMacs. And I am trying to wash my pink Christmas tree. I wish I had a detachable shower nozzle.

Sophia, I doubt it's about being "too old," but it's about your personal knees, no?

Yes, my personal knees are dicey. Possibly because of all the squatting. I already had a tear in the meniscus of my left knee, and my right knee is starting to feel like it might go if I don't baby it. So I know I can't do the up down up down of removing shoes, putting on pants, putting on shoes and then up all the way up to do the overcoat and accessories that I used to. But I found it super satisfying. I think top half does shirt buttons, vest and make-up change? It seemed much easier.

Top half definitely sounds like less up and down!

Yes!

The tree is OK so far. But kitty has been sleeping.

Sophia, worst they can do is say no, right? You don't ask, you don't get!

Last of the shopping is DONE. Jim and I decided replacing the car this year was present enough for us: we bought things for Ken, I'm doing cards, there's a wreath on the door and a Yule goat on the table, just waiting for the arrival of Dude Thor. I've got a mani/pedi scheduled and Jim has a reminder on his calendar to order my birthday cake. He needs to mail his mom's gift, and that's it.

sophia I hope that you can switch things up to help your knees.

I had a plan to bake things to give as gifts. It was a reasonable plan. Except I seem to have forgotten how to bake completely and the 2 main things I tried turned out horrible. The gingerbread cookies didn't make it to the actual cookie stage. So I'm giving this idea up, I have a bunch of baking stuff and I might try to make some chocolate chip cookies because those shouldn't be too hard.

I was going to make gingerbread cats instead of people. I mean I don't have any decorate skills so I was just going to outline them, and make icing whiskers but now there is nothing.

I got a lot done today—litterboxes cleaned, bedroom straightened up, laundry done and sorted, towels put up, garbage taken out, groceries bought ($109 worth for $71!), papers for shredding/burning consolidated into one big bag, Thai food bought and remains of same put up as leftovers. All that I didn't manage to do was airing up a low tire (the gas stations either had air pumps out of order or pay-only versions) and finding a metal can to burn papers in.

I am still desperately trying to find gifts for my parents, which is why I discovered that someone on Etsy sells a custom-made foosball table for $12,400.

Ugh, you guys, we have some mold and Tim is freaking out. (Oddly, I am *not* freaking out, which is weird for me, the anxiety queen, but it's also good, because I am chill enough to calm him down.) It was on a windowsill behind the couch, behind a drape we never, ever open. (Note to self: check the windows once a year.)

So while he cleaned up the windowsill (wearing a painter's mask), I took the kitty into the bedroom away from mold activity and researched mold remediation companies on Angie's List. It'll be fine, and I'm REALLY weirded out by the fact that I'm the calm one in this situation.