I let my costco membership lapse--I just don't need big bulk amounts of stuff. The only thing I really liked was the gas, but it's not super convenient for me.

I like Costco but I use it more to buy bug things cheaper. I don't buy in bulk. I'm thinking about getting a Christmas tree from there. I've never had a Christmas tree of my own. I'm really depressed this year,and maybe doing something totally different and just for myself would help.

My sister just called to tell me they've decided we're just doing a few small gifts this year and we're going to do fun things instead. I agreed. We make this same resolution every year, and yet the tree is always full of gifts and no one wants to go do "activities" together. I'm doing what I always do.

I'm ready for the end of this month and this year.

"Big" things. Not bug things. Fuck.

Bugfuck.

Sorry, association.

I've been reasonably accomplished today: cleaned the bathroom, changed sheets on the bed, put used sheets in the laundry, and put away folded clean laundry. I need to cull and load things into the two bottom shelves of the curio, the back wall of which I recently covered in giftwrap--pale grey eggshell finish, overlapping matte white circles that make cloverleafs, each juncture tagged with a mirror-silver dot. I call it the Venn diagram paper. It does brighten the interior of the cabinet and provide subtle texture. I just have to get the last two shelves arranged and dispose of the leftovers.

Oh. And handwash, which ordinarily I don't mind, but I'm avoiding due to clorox fumes being wafted through the house by the forced air heat. ...Much the way I don't vacuum because the cat is sleeping.

I have done everything today! To the vet, to the library, out to lunch and shopping with my mother, and a massage. Oh crap, the only thing I forgot was milk. I could yet go back out, but that seems pretty unlikely.

On the upside, I was looking for boots to replace mine that just died this week (seriously, the soles have cracks, the heels are worn, and the leather is worn -- not worth repairing), and I got two pairs! I may return one, but the deals were good, so I just took both.

5K with mom is done. It was good to walk and talk with mom for almost an hour. Ran one errand for me and one for her and am back home now with load #2 in the washer. The child is still asleep, but I doubt very much that he slept the whole time I was gone. Now what to do. I want to:

Bake
clean more
rearrange front room in prep for tree
list things to sell.

I ran errands but didn't have much success at Christmas shopping, so I'll have to finish it up when I get back from Ireland unless I find things for my nieces along the way.

I did stop in to a local shop to buy pocky for my nieces and scored a neck pillow for $3. The neck pillows at Target were going for $40.

If you have any free time, Ireland sounds like a good place for gift-buying! Ditto India.

I'm totally buying shit at random and planning to return at least some of it. Probably not the best strategy, but at least it feels like progress?

I'm totally buying shit at random and planning to return at least some of it. Probably not the best strategy, but at least it feels like progress?

This is better than my plan, which is basically "Uh, hmm, maybe I could...no...or...ooh, maybe a [thing that would take lots of work and/or time]...eh....maybe..."

My Christmas shopping is done! Restaurant gift cards to two families who don't get a chance to go out and do sort-of-spendy things and a Barnes & Noble gift card to the housemate, who loves anime and manga.