Theo, 6K seems like a lot for a hot water heater. I had an electric (that is still somehow hooked up to the oil furnace) one replaced about 5 years ago and it was until $2K.

I lost LBD today, thanks to some Rankin-Bass cartoon on AMC that I wasn't even watching. So close!

Lit candles, turned braising liquid and turkey bones into stock, laid out clothes for tomorrow. Back under the blankets with a cat on my feet until tomorrow morning

I am still in LBD. I don't think I've ever made it this far, it feels kinda weird.

So. You didn't braid the turkey legs?

I think I might be up at midnight. Do I open my stocking then (Maria does a stocking for me, plus presents. They are all under my tree). I went through my sisters presents and pulled all the candy/food to take to the Dunkin Donuts people tomorrow, along with the candy ai bought. She got my cat a USB charged ball, and also some nice gloves and scarf. I will really have to meet her soon, and then just deal with my mom. Who is making me crazy with this ham thing! So, I am cooking sweet potatoes and rutabaga right now!

Salad would have gone fine with ham. Don't make yourself crazy. Bring something else if you don't want ham.

Well, sweet potatoes are pretty done, and so are mustard greens. Rutabaga is boiling, and then I will do mashed cauliflower. I knowI am nutty. But not Nutty.

I don't think my mother would necessarily appreciate hearing that she's acting like her mother used to, so I'm not saying it.

I'm just saying, I remember being someone else insisting on being militantly in control of holidays. I'm not saying who.

Ok. So I have just had nummy rutabaga.

I'm home from the hospital! I have a bunch of meds for pain management and instructions to rest interspersed with gentle movement. It was a bulging disk pressing on a nerve, ugh.