Happy Christmas!

I'm working on the yearly calendar. Some friends gave me a printer but I don't have the software to install the printer and getting it downloaded has taken me all day of repeatedly trying to make it work with little success. I tried to print one out at work and the image quality is complete crap so that's rather sad. I'm also working on finding a file sharing site for you all so that you can print out a copy for your very own. I'll keep you up to date.

How is everyone? Are folks holding up? White Christmases all around? I'm hoping for clear enough weather on Friday to get me out of Chicago. Although, now that I think about it, being grounded might not be a horrible thing. It would certainly be relaxing.

Anticipation

A few conversations back, my mother asked me what I was looking forward to at Christmas. And I didn't have an answer. Which is not good. Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing my family, but most of them I saw at the end of October. Maaaaybe I'm looking forward to doing some crafting with the mommalah. Except this means that I need to pack all my craft things and bring them with me in my tiny, carry-on sized suitcase along with lots of clothing layers because we'll be in crazy winter wonderland. So, yeah, I need some inspiration here. That or an attitude adjustment.

What are you looking forward to this holiday season?

Song for the Season

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,
In ancient times did'st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Thankful

About a week ago a friend sent me a birthday card. And in it was a wonderful and ridiculous gift. And it was very sweet. And I am grateful.

Today a mattress set was delivered - shiny and new and deliciously comfy.

Last night, contemplating the fact that I have a new mattress set arriving and have no blankets anymore, I thought about heading to Kohls for one. They always have some deal going on. I mused aloud to a co-worker who, as she fished her keys out of her purse, said "Here is some Kohls cash. It expires today." So off I trundled, toward home. But hopped in my car and headed to Kohls. (Do you know how hard it is to find a cotton blanket these days? It's all plush this or microfleece that. I just want something that I can wash when I need to!) I ended up with the only non-plush/microfleece blanket I could find in a full/queen. It's green so It'll all be OK. And I used the Kohls cash so it didn't cost too much.

Then I called a friend who kept me company on my birthday and brought me a cupcake and Trivial Pursuit (all my games = tossed into the dumpster) and she saw my sad, microwave-less state (microwave = tossed into the dumpster) and mentioned that she might have an extra one in her storage space. She leaves for vacation on Wednesday or Thursday and it would be nice to have one, it's very true. So I trundled over to her place and we dug stuff out of her storage and found that extra microwave. It was loaded up into my trunk.

I made it home but it was late so where I had been parking since Thursday? Friday? had been reappropriated. I parked father away.

This morning I heard an unpleasant noise outside. Out my window I could see a bad crash right where my car had been parked until last night. If I hadn't needed to get that blanket yesterday my car would have been toast.

I also got a text message from my aunt. She has a chair from my abuelita's basement that she thought I might want. It's turquoise and vintage. And maybe with this chair I won't feel so bad about the rocking chair going into the dumpster.