I cleaned a lot of the house today! But hardly neatened at all, because I'm still in the middle of everything. But I also wrapped everything, except for ribbons, so I can keep them all stacked together for now.

Am rewarding myself with The Winter Soldier.

As a Facebook memory reminded me, Christmas comes whether you're ready or not.

It only gets brighter from here on out.

For that, and for you, Tom, I am exceedingly grateful.

Happy Solstice, folks. Many thanks for all that you have given me this year.

My cell phone appears to have died. I have a spare... which is back in California. I can afford to drop $120 on an unlocked phone and get it by Sunday, although I probably could survive being without a phone for 8 days. But I don't really want to fly without one?

We won't celebrate Christmas until the 27th. E will be here . I got ssomeone to cover my shift. Christmas Eve I'm work 7:45 to 6:45 so mom and I will chill and then Christmas Day I'll go down to see Matthew and then come back up.

I'm not feeling really Christmasish for some reason. Even at work it hasn't really felt like that. Other than being busier. We didnt get as much Christmas stuff. We got a lot of new products but not a lot of decor and things.

Tomorrow after work I'm going to Matthew's and Sundy we are doing some Christmas shopping. I have to get him something.

Maybe that will get me in the spirit

Sitting downstairs, listening to my brother & SIL & eldest nephew banter in the bedroom & just really glad to be here.(I offered to sleep on the couch-I'm the last to bed & first up, but nephew insisted I take his room. I think he likes the opportunity to play camping in the house.i dunno.)

I got pretty good family.

Wrapped mostly everything today. Have stocking stuffers & randos to go. And gift cards/charity donations.

How nice is the spare, shrift? I say it's christmas, treat yo'self!

How nice is the spare, shrift?

The spare is a refurbished version of my dead phone, and the new one is going to be a refurbished version because I'm not upgrading to a model without a headphone jack. Otherwise I would treat myself to something shiny.

Plodding through my wrapping. I have a bunch of extra tree ornaments so I have been putting them on top of the packages instead of bows, which are still in storage somewhere. Pretty.

It was super windy yesterday so my outside decorations took a hit, but pretty much back together.

Listening to Louis Armstrong and Leon Redbone xmas tunes this morning.

Eating xmas cookies for after-breakfast (which was more hashbrowns with fried eggs).

Matilda is lazing in bed with a pig, but has a cookie baking party over at Davi's house (literally around the corner) at noon.

Matilda and JZ will be going to Dickens Fair tomorrow, and Emmett and EM will be here on xmas eve.

It's all sorting out.

I need to redo the lights on the tree, not enough multi colored to do the whole tree as densely as I had started them, so now the bottom is only white and kinda bare looking. some food and a movie first though.