…while I kiss this guy.

I don’t know why that song’s on my mind this morning (wrong lyrics and all), but I’ve been up since 5:30 and I’m off to the races; no purple haze here. Clarity, decisiveness, ambition, will, focus…I got ’em all in spades this morning. I’m on a mission.

I scoured the pantry, fridge and freezer early this morning and found stuff to make some yummy veggies and rice soup. After the delicious junk food I made (and ate) over the holidays, I need a detox week. It starts today.

So is everyone (outside the educational community) back to work, or to a regular routine at home? What was the best thing about your Christmas or Hanukkah? Ready, steady, tell. I’m sure it will involve family, as the holidays are often the only time *everyone* gets together. It’s what our lives have become in the age of aeroplanes and automobiles. Even so, it makes those get-togethers all the more special, ja?

I’m going to try something weird today, and just let the day unfold without making any plans to take care of stuff. (Except I must call the Js’ mommy to schedule some play time so she can have a quiet afternoon this week.) I hope your week is shaping up well — time to get your affairs in order, because the new year is upon us, and you know what they say about 2012…

Mmmm. That soup is smelling yummy. Breakfast is served.

I say it in Dutch this day, in honor of Finkite Suzanne, who lives in Klompenland. Yay!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, fiends! As we celebrate, I think of how richly and often I am blessed by my wonderful family and friends. Yesterday, the old tennis elbow acted up so badly, I could hardly move my left arm at all. Enter Mavis, who saved the day — and the meal! She did almost all the work, while I was relegated to the occasional stirring with my right hand, and moving stuff around. Yay Mavis! She sure came through for all of us last night.

Then I check Facebook this morning, and everyone is wishing everyone a happy holiday, both individually and by general wall posts. It would be kind of neat, wouldn’t it, if that kind of spirit stretched through the year? Maybe not, I dunno. You don’t want to cheapen a thing by overkill. Look what it did to “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Anyway, I take this moment to say “enjoy your weekend,” whatever it may include. You all (kind readers…all 90 of you worldwide) are a huge reason I keep this little circus going. Hugs all around.

Merry merry!

FO (to Detroit)

PS – I received a delightful Vanilla Bean gift collection — truthfully, this might be enough to get me through the year.

Random Neuron Firings

One of my students (I must admit, the kid is hilarious), dressed up as the dreaded You-Know-Who for the high school basketball game last night. I’m sure it was a hoot. (WordPress is being silly today; here’s the link to the larger version.)

So, is everyone where they need to be? It’s not an incredibly busy day for us here. Tonight is when the action starts, so I’ve got time to get my list of jobs done before family arrive at 6. Chances are, since it’s Christmas Eve & all, you might not have had the chance to visit Finkville, so I will wait patiently for all the fantastic details of your holiday. I sure hope no one had to work today.

So, I see that the American Christmas Spirit is alive and well, as Air Jordans have hit the stores. Clever Nike, waiting until Friday to do it. Idiots. They knew what was going to happen. I have an idea: only release them online, and let the bandwidth gods decide who gets them and who doesn’t. That might, at least, reduce the likelihood of someone being killed (again) over a pair of tennis shoes.

But hey, it’s Christmas Eve; let’s not snark, shall we? It’s a happy day! It’s not nearly often enough when I get most of the family together in one place. Only ones MIA will be the Texas contingent. I miss them.

So off I go to make ready the house and food for the festivities. Mavis, Hannah and Simone brought over their gifts to add to ours, and the tree is now dwarfed (not that it wasn’t a dwarf in the first place). This weekend is not “about” the gifts; we all know that. It sure does look festive for awhile, though. The colors and lights at 6 a.m., when all is dark and quiet…it’s a beautiful sight. It makes me want to have a shortbread cookie and some Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. I think I will do just that.

Then I gotta get to work. Mavis arrives to cook at 3, and the celebration begins. Yay!

Merry Christmas Eve!

I know it’s late, but I’d like the following for Christmas this year. Is there anything you can do, last-minute-like?

It would be a really great Christmas if:

1. I never saw another “LMS” post on Facebook. (Wasn’t MySpace also taken over by the junior high crowd before it died a miserable death?)
2. people finally, once for all, figured out the difference between “your” and “you’re”
3. Congressmen/women could think about something other than their reelections
4. I could have a new hip joint without all the cutting and sewing
5. all my family’s health problems would go *poof*
6. I could see my grandchildren every day
7. yes, I have to say it: there was world peace (seriously, it would be fantastic if it happened in my lifetime)
8. the city would fix the pothole in the street at the entrance to my driveway (we’re getting tired of pictures falling off the walls when trucks hit it, not to mention peeling the dog off the ceiling every time)
9. people would be more tolerant of — and even welcoming to — other lifestyles, religious observances, and opinions
10. every reality TV show would dry up, all at the same time    *bing*