I meant to post earlier, but I was too busy treating myself to the laziest day I've had in as long as I can remember.
I woke up early and took my car to the dealer for a recall repair. While I was waiting, I started reading Special Topics in Calamity Physics. I read for more than an hour at the dealership, then returned home and after a brief trip to the bagel shop with my husband to keep him company as he ate breakfast, I settled onto the couch determined to read the rest.
All day long I read for long stretches, stopping occasionally to eat small meals and snacks (leftover minestrone, a pastrami sandwich, an orange, and a ramekin of leftover chocolate pot d'creme from Christmas Eve).
Now and then I'd put the book down and nap for a while with cats piled all over me.
It's now a little after 7:00 p.m. and I just read the last page. I'd chosen the book for a book club and was pleased to discover that it was really, really good and full of surprises. I can't wait to discuss it with everyone else, but our meeting has been postponed until the Sunday after next.
As you might gather from my account of today's activities, Christmas Day was a little more strenuous. I loaded my car with food and gifts around 9:30 a.m. and headed to my sister's house. We spent the morning preparing snacks and drinking mimosas. The rest of the guests arrived between noon and one, and we spent the afternoon opening gifts, eating dinner and chatting.
This was a year of lavish gifts from friends and family alike. My husband got me a new Pentax digital camera that's small enough to tuck into my purse. It takes gorgeous photos and I'm really looking forward to having it handy whenever I spot something I'd like to photograph.
I got tons of books: "I Like You" by Amy Sedaris, "Born Standing Up" by Steve Martin, "Baking" by Dorie Greenspan, "Mortification: Writers' Stories of Their Public Shame" edited by Robin Robertson, "Full Frontal Feminism" by Jessica Valenti, and "How to Write Great Songs" by Michael Heatley and Alan Brown.
I also received a cool checkmark-shaped bookshelf from my sister, which will obviously come in handy.
I got two calendars: a Far Side desk calendar which will be useful for work, and a 2008 George Bush Out of Office Countdown wall calendar. Clearly, my friends can read my mind.
The gift list doesn't stop there. It also includes a retro rock themed t-shirt, a nice sweater, a beautiful art glass necklace, a gift set of Fresh Lemon Sugar lotion, cologne and shower gel, and some tangerine-scented soap.
I was rather dumbfounded to get so much stuff at the end of a year that's been so financially rough for most people. To everyone who bought me such thoughtful gifts: I'll enjoy every one to the fullest.
Now it's evening and snowing outside, so I imagine I'll stay parked here on the couch until bedtime. Tomorrow I'll post some of the photos I've taken with the new camera. (Mostly cats and things, but my choice of subjects is a little limited right now.)
I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday. Have any good stories about yours?
I got done with Special Topics and threw it on the ground and stomped on it. I know she is very very clever and good with words, but I never felt that a single character rang true. And that test at the end. Argh. I just wanted to smack someone.
It will be interesting to see what your book club says.
Posted by: Suebob | December 26, 2007 at 09:49 PM