OK so I know I am one of the last to update but I have been grooving on my first Christmas week off in 20 years. I have had the best time.

Tuesday we pretty much stayed home and cooked (preparing the brine) and waiting for the pc to come. God bless UPS (and Kevin!) because they got our new pc here for us before Christmas. The girls were very pleased and so we played SIMS a good part of the evening.

Christmas am was hectic as usual. Now that the girls are older and I am off staff duty, we no longer open at 0700. However, Les and I feel obligated to be up and prepared for them. This was a year of the passage of a tradition, the girls did not ask about "Santa Marks" so that has gone by the wayside until we have grands. (Santa Mark is a spot of soot on your cheek or forehead where Santa touched you to see if you were awake...the girls used to run to a mirror to see if it was there before they ran to the tree!)

Presents were all hits: Les got a new briefcase and calendar (complete with a handwritten note of personal significance in each month), a new wallet, clothes, music and books. His wants are usually mundane but he also got a neat techno alarm clock and boxers with snowmen playing hockey. Christie is thrilled with her music writing software but loves her books, music and watch too. Katie is already reading her novel in Spanish and working on improving her portraits. I got music and pc games, earrings and stack rings, bath products, books and a fridge for my office!

We had our turkey which was succulent. I am a believer in brining now. Then the fam went to see 2 Towers while I took a migraine pill and slept it off.

Thursday Les and I took back his clothes and exchanged them for fit and then had dinner and a movie. Catch Me if You Can is MUCH better than you are thinking and you should go! Adventure, mild suspense, sophisticated humor, good story and a cameo by the real Frank Abignale. Got to talk to Cym/Niobe and scream in laughter at the tale of them getting a new cat...I will love seeing them this summer.

Friday was more home time for me as the girls went to work with Dad. Then we shopped for 12th night fabric and came home to work on Kate's Eleanor crown.

Today more school projects, a fine dinner and catching up on emails...you know we had a lovely week if we did not check them from Tues til today!

So, to each of you....I do miss you and look forward to 12th Night to see many of you. I am happy for each of your holiday blessings and know that the New Year cannot help but bring more.