Super fun, Steph!

Good timing with the gift! I'm sure the Dunkin crew will appreciate it.

So nice to hear from old friends. Feel better, David.

Haven't done much of anything today, and really should. Maybe watch some more mindless tv first.

Putting StY on a plane for home this evening. Don'wanna. Except he's got this life of his own thing going on, and his gf is gonna be happily surprised for Christmas. She was expecting him to drive back in a week or two, so it feels good sending him off, even though his visit was too short. He'll be back.

Dinner with the neighbors on Christmas Day. We got the outside decorations up a day or two ago, and didn't bother on the inside, since there are two cars' worth of boxes strewn around and yet to unpack. Still, Christmas spirit is pretty high around here.

Why do people have families? This communication thing is annoying and difficult. I have now talked with my sister, my brother and my niece all saying they don't want to stress me out. Just talking to them is stressing me out. I hide in stores from people I know so I don't have to talk

I like my once a week with my mom, three times a year with my aunt and uncle, and seeing my cousin on Thanksgiving or at a funeral. That is the connection I am up for, guys, and these are people I actually lived with as a child.

My new sister is grappling with the thought that her father abandoned me. I don't think he did. I think my mom never told him or cut him out.

If they don't take a hint, I think you can just tell them that you aren't looking for super-regular and ongoing contact. I'm not saying they won't be weird about it, but that's better than just you stressing out!

Son of a bitch. I have cream puffs in the oven, and because they are on two trays on two different racks, I just took them out to switch, and I'm afraid I killed the puff. Well, we'll see. Worst-case scenario, I should have enough eggs to make another batch. Medium-case scenario, the creme patissiere fills them up well enough.

Timelies all!

Ugh, Mr. Sam woke us up before 6 this morning, and has been horrible all day. He's asleep now.

Is it bad that I'm kind of looking forward to going back to work on Wed.? (I work for one of the agencies not affected by the shutdown.)

No, that's fair, Sheryl. My first boss came back to work 80% time after she had a baby, and her day at home was Wednesday. I didn't understand why she wouldn't want a long weekend (since I was like 23), and she was like, "It's too tiring being home more than two days in a row!"

The good news is, the puffs are effing perfect. Croquembouche ahoy.

Yay puffs,

I told my family I was up for texting, maybe, and explained my normal contact with th family, so so hopefully they will back off. I think I was able to assuage my sisters problem with her father abandonsing me, so that is good.

Croquembouche! Super fancy

Well done, Sophia.

Looking forward to going back to work at this point sounds about par for the course, speaking as a non-parent observer.

Yeah, she probably didn't want you to feel like she was abandoning you too! And it's easier in some ways to have minimal contact with people you know well/grew up with because there's a base there? If that makes sense?

My friends came over for our fam gift exchange but I had an awful migraine and bowed out of the show we were going to. I'm sad I didn't get to spend that time with them but felt awful—had to take two doses of my meds before I felt better, and I still feel gross though not awful anymore

I am impressed by creampuffs! Dang!!