I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas day.

Today was a lot better than I was expecting. Roo and I had a good time this morning, opening gifts, relaxing over coffee and breakfast. We relaxed, cooked things to bring to my parents' house, played Wii games, then went to dinner.

Heard from JT. Didn't let it spoil my day, though. I just can't feel bad for him being far from home when he made that decision to live this way for both of us!

It was wonderful having the family all together. The kids liked their gifts. Dinner was great. Laughing and talking with everyone was even better.

Curling up now with Second Life, FarmVille and CafeWorld and a big glass of OJ. Life is good.

Ronus is taking the stage! Do not miss this, starting right now! Take some time and unwind from all the holiday hubub at Club P4 with this talented artist.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ecstasy%20Commerce/200/56/33

Got up at a decent hour for a Saturday. Called the DMV and was told that yes, they would be holding tests today - that lasted only until the snow really started to come down in earnest. By the time Ro's test had been scheduled for, we had almost 11 inches of the white stuff on the ground and everything was closed.

She didn't seem to be too upset. Instead, she, Dem and I spent the day doing a massive cleaning of her closet and room, getting rid of a lot of junk that has just been accumulating over the years.

Then, the girls shoveled the driveway. A neighbor was a wonderful wonderful man and he took his snowblower to most of the neighborhood's sidewalks. I want to hug him for that!

Got ourselves VERY slowly to queenmidalah's house. It's around the corner, less than 1/4 mile away. It was a very slow 1/4 mile. Had a blast. She made a fantastic turkey dinner and I forgot the wine, the gravy and the bundt cake at home (yeah... FAIL). We did presents and it was so nice. queenmidalah gave me a 7088 Axial Flow Combine, complete with corn head and grain head. It is SO going on my desk at work!

Dem, if anyone on Twitter missed it, is geeking about getting Toast for Christmas from Ro!

Had to leave a lot earlier than we wanted to. Got the car clean and the girls pushed it out of the drift! Slooooow drive home. We almost didn't make it up the one hill, but slowly, we got there, giggling the whole time. Yay, snow!

Dinner at my house on Tuesday. Ro is cooking and there will be bundt cake and wine! Anubis is going to be staying with Auntie and Ro while his mom goes to Michigan for the holiday. He's gotten big enough now that I can let him sleep in my bed and not be afraid I'm going to crush the tiny thing! He answers to that now, btw - Ro calls, "Tiny thing!" and he comes running. Way too funny.

All in all, a Very Good Day was had. Tomorrow afternoon, Ro needs to go to her friend's house to work on a project and I need to make sure Dem's flight is all confirmed for Monday night, since her flight tomorrow was screwed due to snow.

This weekend, I will make myself sit and do at least a dozen different icons for stocking stuffers!

My address book, the one I bought to keep track of addresses for my wedding so long ago, has disappeared. Perhaps it was meant to be, but still - I wish I had been able to keep it long enough to get the addresses *I* wanted out of it!

I am finally sending out Christmas cards this year, too. I hope people do understand why in 2007, sending them out felt like a sham - we were separating and planning on divorce and that in 2008, the first year alone and newly divorced, I just couldn't muster the energy to do them.

So... please, please, please - addresses. I need to rebuild my address book (I will miss Escher, though!).

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After 1 am, but doesn't feel that late. I've watched TV, listened to Cranston sing (Roo even noted that he does awesome with Sinatra tunes) and meditated. Yet, I'm wide awake.

WTF.

I've been up since 8 am. Hit the mall, other stores, been busy all day. I should be tired!

Down 2.5 lbs from last week. Yay! Finally heading back in the right direction again, after going too far in the WRONG direction. I'd like to get to Media and be able to wear some of the costumes we've been planning on. Not to mention looking better in my dobok (black belt around a white marshmallow is not very pleasant).

Had a reading done. The Six of Cups came up in the Recent Past position and I thought it was very interesting:

Enact and embody those values from the past that can enrich your world today.

The card in the Recent Past position refers to events that are just departing, recently influential but now diminishing in power.

With the Six of Cups in this position, a recent experience is powerfully nostalgic. It draws your energy and attention away from current situations back to a memory that is still compelling. This inner image is strongly symbolic; it reminds you of what might have been. Although some elements of those cherished memories are worth bringing into your present life, don't spend too much time on memories.

If the experience nourishes you, then the best response is to generate more of the same kind of energy and share it with those around you. Think of those past experiences as examples of ways you can choose to be in the present. Let proven ideals and attitudes energize you now, no matter how much circumstances may have changed.

Given how nostalgic I have been feeling regarding past holidays and missing what used to be, this seems to fit very well right now.

Meeting Tom in a little bit to take him shopping for queenmidalah. I have some ideas that I think he will like. I know I had one decent idea, since queenmidalah and Roo sneaked up on me at the jewelry store while the clerk was showing me the piece! Brats!

I was highly disappointed in the tree selection at SKH last night. And it was getting cold and Roo and I were beat, so we left. We did decide on a nice little 4 - 5" tree for the basement. It'll be cute and not overwhelming, but still Christmasy. Upstairs, I'll do a 6' tree. I haven't done two trees in a while now, I'm kind of excited!

I go back and forth between looking forward to Christmas and dreading it, just wanting it to be over. It's only been a little over a year since the divorce and, last year, JT did spend Christmas morning here. He'll be in Brazil this year and won't be back until after the new year. We may do something small when he's back, so he can spend some time with our daughter, but I'm not counting on it.

This coming Saturday, queenmidalah is having an early Christmas at her place, before she heads to visit gotbunns and Dem heads home to Texas for a few weeks. I need to get some gifts wrapped and tagged before then!

New Year's Eve will be at my house, with noshes and a Star Wars marathon. This works for us! I'll probably be inworld for a bit, too.

And that's where things are this rainy, cold Sunday morning. My coffee cup is empty and must be refilled. And my address book still hasn't shown up!

Got home from shopping with Roo and queenmidalah. It's cold out and I hadn't taken anything out of the freezer before Roo and I had left the house.

Okay, so what to do for dinner on a chilly almost-winter night?

Leftover beef in the fridge, from a pot roast earlier this week.

Three potatoes remaining in the bag.

Some baby carrots.

So, I sauteed up some minced garlic, sliced the carrots and some celery, added the beef with some of the mushrooms it had cooked in. Tossed in 2 cans of diced tomatoes and some beef broth and voila! Winter stew! And it was good!