Oh, that stinks, sj. I hope you don't have to cancel, but do what you have to, friend.

I have mailed my holiday card exchange cards AND ordered my far-away family gifts to arrive by the 23rd. Score!

I still have a couple of things I'd like to get for Matt and my niece, fiance, and friend who is family who will be there on Christmas day, but other than that, I'm feeling pretty good.

I'm going to make a morning Costco run tomorrow - we'll see whether I actually stay!

Travelling up and back to my sister's Wed. for their holiday party with singing (they're on the board of a Grammy winning modern choir, so the sing-alongs are spectacular!), then coming back Friday to grab Matt -- we'll either go up Friday or Saturday, whichever seems best.

We only have our one car, which is totally all we need, both working from home, but I didn't feel like dealing with the pain and expense of trains, packages, luggage, etc. over the holiday, so it's worth an extra three hours of driving to me. He'll drive back, so... really no big deal.

Hope things are shaping up for everyone's various celebrations this Festivus-tide.

Timelies all!

Mr. S had another major meltdown today. He had a bad day at school, and wanted me to give him one of his Hannukkah gifts. When I told him he'd have to wait until Gary got home, he got upset. I tried to suggest things to do, but he only wanted games that were in the computer room, which is locked until Gary gets home. It escalated from there, with him calling 911, and a police officer coming to our house. In the process he ripped up all the newspapers that were on the dining room table, poured water on the floor(and threw that bottle at me a couple of times, and threw some stuff out his window. I'm exhausted.

This morning I arrived at the parking garage, scanned my QR code, pulled in, and discovered that my window wouldn't go back up. Did I mention that it was 11°F (wind chill 1°)? And that I had planned to load my two ailing, 17-yr-old cats into that car for an 8-9 hour drive tomorrow? I left the wide-open car in the garage for two hours while I got my crew started and did time sheets before I found a shop to take it to that wouldn't involve me driving on Lake Shore Drive with the wind in my hair. They think they can get the part in tomorrow and have it fixed by end of day so I might still be able to drive on Wednesday. When the guy called to give me the estimate he strongly implied that I should be looking for a new car. Who knew 11 years of Chicago winters and street parking would turn a car into a rust bucket?

I'm sorry to hear that, Sheryl. I wish you could get some relief.

Yikes, aurelia. I'm glad they can get it fixed by tomorrow.

I found out that I'm getting a 4% raise with the new year. Also a bonus, which will be instrumental in getting a washer/dryer unit for the new house sooner rather than later.

Productive, Jen!

{{Sheryl}} I can only imagine how exhausted you must be.

Brrrrr, aurelia!

Yay, Matt!

Somewhat productive here. Did gift cards and socks for my son and his gf. Family tradition is that we always get underwear for Christmas. This year I got him a set of 5 varieties of Grateful Dead socks and her a set of cute kitten toe socks. Usually I get him tie-die boxers, but couldn't find any I liked. Ordered a gift for DH. Did a Thursday pickup order for the food I am making for the Christmas gathering here. I'm making a meaty lasagna and a spinach/artichoke lasagna and garlic bread. Today I am treating myself to a facial and mani/pedi. Unfortunately DH is out all day at a customer site and I won't be at the computer either, so fingers crossed for no crisis at work.

I'm sorry about your daughter's flu, sj. I hope she's better for Christmas Eve.

Yeah, over a decade of midwest winters are hard on a car, aurelia.

Speaking of midwest winters, today I looked at the Christmas weekend forecast for the Detroit area and pulled my puffy, sleeping-bag-with-arms coat out of the back closet, like an ancient soldier picking up the sword he'd laid down lo those many years ago. It's looking a tad brisk.

Speaking of midwest winters, today I looked at the Christmas weekend forecast for the Detroit area and pulled my puffy, sleeping-bag-with-arms coat out of the back closet, like an ancient soldier picking up the sword he'd laid down lo those many years ago. It's looking a tad brisk.

It's going to be stupid cold for Christmas Eve and Day (highs of 10-15). Do not want.

It's going to be stupid cold here on Thursday, with the first significant snow of the season. Of course that is the day I have an appointment with a new doctor, the first available opening since I got the referral back in July.

I just got a call from the doctor's office, asking whether, in light of the weather forecast, I would be willing to switch to a Telehealth appointment. Huge relief. I readily agreed.

Still gonna take the whole day off work anyway.

Good call,. dcp.

Tough call, sj. Whatever you decide, I hope y'all can enjoy the holiday.

Everybody stay warm! My scale of "stupid cold" is much warmer than most of yours, that all sounds almost unimaginable.

I gave myself lots of time to pick up Jelly Munchkins at Dunkin this morning (for the "holiday potluck" because they are basically sufganiyot, right?) thinking I might have to wait, so I got to the office an hour early. Kind of nice to be here when it's quiet from many people not being here yet, but I am already tired.