And now I'm finally home from work and errands. I need to eat dinner. You guys, my boss has almost my entire day booked off for team building tomorrow, so I am entertaining the thought of going into work early just so I can get something done. Provided I can get up early, which probably isn't going to happen unless I go to bed in about an hour.

At the grocery store, I bought brussels sprouts, raspberries, blackberries, and a very large bottle of gin. I need to hole up this weekend to write and order Christmas presents online, because I haven't started my shopping yet.

Remove the writing and add rake leaves, laundry, market and swim, and that's my weekend. Ok, so not so much like. But my buddy in xmas shopping hell!

Might also go get some shirts for da boys from here [link] at a weekend market. Or just order them and arrange for pickup.

My brother NEEDS this shirt: [link] for when he gets new interns.

3 mi walk today up to the Farmers Market, then TJ's, then back with a load of groceries hanging from my shoulder. I wish Chico Bags came with a shoulder pad.

I showed much restraint at TJ's. Didn't get Dark Chocolate Minty Mallows. Didn't get Peppermint Bark. No coffee, etc. etc. I'm so afraid I'll have nowhere to crash when I visit the Bay Area that I'm trying to watch my $ in case I have to go to a motel.

Short day today. Was up WAY too late, got up at 10, got on the Internet and before I knew it it was 2pm! Gotta make myself go to bed earlier and get up at dawn.

No holiday decorations here yet. The house is chock full of clutter anyway but now it's REALLY full because of all my late grandma's possessions. The living room is a warehouse of sofas, loveseats and mattresses right now.

Wondering if I can make myself do more onerous tasks tonight. Like getting rid of some of the moving boxes and clutter in my room. Never moved in right.

I also should do laundry. And clean.

But my buddy in xmas shopping hell!

What I need to do is call my mom so I won't duplicate presents. And decide what Squishable to order my niece: [link]

I'd choose Cthulhu, but I'm the only one who'd think it was funny.

Oh, thanks shrift. You've reminded me to get my brother a stuffed infectious disease.

T-Rex! Or maybe the octopus.

My mom was trying to find some winter decorations for the house that were not Christmasy.

Since I was in high school, my mom has given me Annalee dolls for the holidays. I really like their snowmen, some of which are not specifically Christmasy.

What I need to do is call my mom so I won't duplicate presents. And decide what Squishable to order my niece:

I rather like the penguin (of course), the platypus (no echidna though. Or mole rat) and narwhal.

I wish there were a way to tell online retailers that we're Jewish and Hannukah was really frelling early this year, so they can stop sending me their "holiday" deal emails any day now! (This is bacon, not spam, but the volume this time of year is overwhelming, and moreso since my holiday is OVER.)

ION, Post-ER pic. He's doing fine now that we're home. I suspect the worst part will be tomorrow morning when the painkillers have worn off and we have to change the dressing.