Having been out of work since October, I have a new job for the new year. Hoorah!
It is December 20th and I am done with my Christmas shopping. I will not be doing the “ohcrapit’salmostChristmas” shuffle this year.
My husband surprised me with the James Taylor Christmas album last night as an early gift so that I can enjoy it while baking this weekend. (am still thrilled that all I’ll be doing this weekend is baking and wrapping and not panicing)
This winter I have a garage in which to park my car. This makes me happy every snowy morning when I don’t have to scrape.
This is our first year in our new house and we didn’t have to evict any living room furniture to have space to put up a tree. A really big tree. Which the new kitten is leaving alone!
And perhaps best of all, we sold the old house and so have had money to meet the unexpected as well as expected expenses that have come up in the past couple of months.
Oh, and our blown transmission was under warranty.
Also, I like oranges.
Okay, a couple more:
Apple fixed my daughter’s iBook under warranty, huzzah; so now we have an extra laptop sitting around the house. I think I’ll adopt it as my own.
We have a new cat, and although I didn’t care much for our old cat, I really like this one. When you pet her, she not only purrs to beat the band, she claws your arm and drools. Repulsive as it sounds, she does it with perfect dignity, and it’s actually kind of cute. Plus, she’s a mighty hunter, so maybe we can reduce the mouse population around here.
And our Christmas shopping and wrapping are done, so it’s just a nice easy slide from here until the Big Day.
Little R is doing well at college, and seems really happy there.
Healing from past hurts is a good little thing. I’m to the point where I can do a little at a time, and still really feel grounded in the present. It’s refreshing.
Only a cat-lover could come up with a phrase like that. 
I just got my grade report back, for my third semester at uni… and was delighted to see four As and one A- there. The A- was in a class I was afraid I was hardly passing; what a relief to get it over with and have my effort pay off! I was also extremely determined to do well in my Ethics class, so that’s one A I’m really proud of. (Getting an A in a philosophy class is no easy task!) So therefore, I’m feeling pretty accomplished right now.
I’ve met a very nice man. He’s open and kind and considerate and responsible. We have lots in common. He calls me sweetie. And he seems to think just about everything about me is ok, even cute. I don’t normally think of myself as cute.
And he finds it wicked sexy that I’m geeky-smart and in my early 30s.
Lot of good things over the last few days:
– My exams for this semester are done, and I’m back home again.
– My wife is trying to improve her cooking skills. Last night, she made a great Asian soup. It was really good, and I’m looking forward to when she tries Hot and Sour soup.
– We got our Christmas tree up and decorated.
– We’re done our gift shopping and our grocery shopping, so we can avoid the last-minute mall and supermarket crunch.
Time to kick back and enjoy the holidays!
I was at work last weekend, talking to some customers I hadn’t seen in a while. I walked a little bit away to put the dishes in the buspan, and the customer told the other people in her party that I was a “sweetheart”. That made my day.
I forgot to say how happy I am that this is happening for you. This sounds like a very promising start to a relationship.
I have a big bunch of very colorful roses to my right and a sleeping puppy to my left. One of her ears is flipped inside out, and it’s terribly cute.
Clementine Oranges.
My new place is great and my new roommate is even better.
This year is almost over, and I am certain the next one is going to start on a positive note.
I added some wonderful cookie cutters to my collection this year.
I have some amazing friends, mostly far away right now, but they’re all close by in the ways that count.
Peanut Butter Smoothies.
Finding the first wine ever that I’ve wanted more than one glass of. And having it be less than $15/bottle.
I took a cooking class this year, and so impressed my mother the last night of my visit she nearly cried. She’s a fabulous cook and when I went away to college there were genuine fears I might not survive since I had no meal plan.
I’m inside and the weather is outside. The only problem with this good thing in my life is that I think of how many people can’t say that…
Did I mention that the puppy is sleeping?
Finally, I thought of a lot more things for this post thank I realized I would when I started with just the top one.
Well, I’m off to work now. I’ll just take this opportunity to focus on something positive so I don’t get all resentful and bitchy today - I’m glad to have a job to go to. I’m glad to be making money so we can pay off debts and get out of the hole and get on with our lives. And it’s a mostly painless job now, too.
Today’s good thing, my brother is here and my package is on the fedex truck.
Now if they’ll just do as I ask and drop it on the porch after ringing the bell we’ll be golden because they messed up last week.
For the first time in my life, I have something like a healthy social life. It’s beguiling; people invite me over to their houses and everything. I even went to karaoke with a bunch of friends from work, and spent most of the evening being inappropriately touched by a member of the opposite sex. Did not sing, but will do so next time I’m there.
Also, I think I’m okay after a rather heart-wrenching breakup that went down last month. Or, at least, I can think about the good times I shared with my ex and not feel that familiar stab of pain in my heart. It was the first serious relationship of my life, and that woman meant a lot to me, but I’ve moved on and have reasonable hope for better loves in the future.
In addition, I came back into contact with an old friend of mine. Always nice. We shared a little joke amongst each other and wished each other a merry (and agnostic) Christmas.
I am in a pretty good mood right now.
My life has been graced by a wonderful, smart, funny, kind, honorable, and rather sexy man. I won’t go into all his good qualities because you don’t need me raising your blood sugar, but among other things, he even stands up for me, not something I’m used to. What’s even more amazing is in four months I’ll become his wife.
I’m out of a job from hell and into a pretty good one which pays better than any job I’ve ever had.
Despite the sturm and drang of my teens and twenties, my parents and I have reached a point where we genuinely like and respect each other as adults.
I was listening to the song, “Those Were the Best Days of My Life” as I was driving home last night and I was grateful to realize that these days now are the best days of my life and it looks like better ones are yet to come.
I get to sing in a choir with about 60 people, singing wonderful old and new music. A friend asked if we were doing anything special for a service last week, and I started to tell her, “No, just the usual,” when I realized “Just the usual” includes Schubert, a bit of Handel’s Messiah, and some 8-part harmony, double choir stuff. Everyone sings that, right? 
Not bad for a kid who grew up hearing from her father, “Well, you know you can’t sing.” I don’t need to sing with a choir of angels – I already do!
Then there’s this place which, seven years after I signed up, still makes me take a look at things in a different way, and makes me laugh and think. Some of my favorite people are in this thread, both old friends, (looks at featherlou and ArrMatey!) and new (looks at olivesmarch4th).
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a couple more presents to wrap, then it’s off to spend Christmas with my family.
May all of your holidays be filled with joy and light and your new years be filled with happiness, prosperity, peace, and love!
I am feeling very warm towards my local post office right now. I received a card from a friend addressed to:
my first name (note: no last name)
my correct street address
misspelled but recognizable town name, correct state, no zip code
It wasn’t even late. It was mailed Dec 24th and I got it today, Dec 26th. That’s service!
Happy to note that today was spent reading, loving, napping, knitting, and cooking! What a great Boxing Day! There was a bit of snow and the kitties were extra snuggly today. Dinner turned out great and tonight we will watch some old movies.
Heck… tomorrow might just be a repeat of today. It was just that good.
Oh yeah… ate a pile of chocolate turtles, too. 
I was feeling very under the weather when we got home from work tonight, so I went right to bed. daHubby woke me up around nine, saying, “Do you want anything to eat?” I told him I was kind of hungry but not really. He nuked up a couple nice big chunks of rosemary foccachia for me, slathered 'em with butter and served it up with a large glass of tea.
Nothing like warm bread ‘n’ butter, tea, and a smooch from hubby to make things all better!
This thread is a good thing.
I’ve had the 1st dose of my second chemo drug in my system for a week, and I only have 1 of the 4 common side-effects going. This is going to be a lot better than the first cycle.
My family and friends put up with all my clinical whining and need for support.
My DMIL is here running the kids ragged during vacation so I can go to work earlier and get home earlier. Hooray for the solstice–the days are getting longer!
Teen cousins and tween DD will be making yet more fudge tomorrow night.
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