Have been to and returned from the food pantry already. It was 42F/5.5C this morning, cold enough that they weren't doing the usual "Take a number, stand in line" method of distribution. Instead, they'd made up bags, had us drive around and loaded directly into the car. No choices, but very speedy.

Last night was Supper Club for church...the C's treated me to dinner, which was great. I wore a variation of Friday's ensemble---that black belt is quite handy! I dressed to fit the spirit of the season---long matte black trumpet skirt, topped by a red sweater, ribbed, with threads of sparkly red lurex. The effect is festive without being gaudy---I call it the "Santa's helper" look.

Cinched it with the wide black leather belt (it's perforated with a diamond pattern all the way around). I got that a few years ago, and it mostly comes out around this time of year to complete the "Santa's helper" look. I wore my leopard print jacket just as a door-to-door measure, and got compliments on that as retro---come to think of it, the jacket and the belt came from the same shopping excursion to Vero Beach to meet mojavedragonfly a few years ago.

I *should* have worn my sparkly red shoes---and would have, if I knew where they were---or black shoes or boots, but at the moment, I don't have a single decent pair of black shoes, so I was stuck with grey Mary Janes. Good thing my feet spent most of the time under the table!

Oh God, one scant week til Yuletide is due! I'm going to be very, very busy, as my idea has grown subplots....

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I ordered J's gift from Amazon---she told me a while back that she wants a copy of "The Joy of Cooking" that isn't falling apart, and she doesn't mind it used---so I found her a slightly used hardcover copy for a penny, then popped $6.99 for expedited shipping. I'm going to give it to her with some tea, which she also specifically mentioned, and cookies. So she can have a nice cuppa and a nibble and decide what she'd going to cook. *smirk* (She knows nothing about LJ, so I'm safe enough discussing it here. SBJB is our only mutual friend who's liable to see this, and I'm confident she won't blab.)

Have also been slogging away at Yuletide. It's one thing to be intimately familiar with canon, another thing to try to extrapolate it sympathetically. My issue is, the source material has a Very Large Cast, and I'm trying to touch base with the old familiars without overwhelming readers who may not have the first foggy clue---assuming there are any. And, of course, give my recipient something that resembles what she's hoping for.

Finished reading "The Baker Street Letters" (Michael Robertson), which I found disappointing. The premise: A barrister who's renting 221B Baker Street sets his screw-up brother in charge of answering the letters that arrive for Sherlock Holmes. Brother hares off to L.A. in response to one letter, and gets embroiled in a murder. Despite the allusions to Sherlock, there's no deductive reasoning involved at all, and the plot isn't a mystery to anyone who's ever watched TV or for that matter, read any mystery novel more complex than Nancy Drew. Thank goodness it's a library book and therefore cost me nothing but time.

Have started "A Nose for Justice" (Rita Mae Brown), featuring a Dachshund and a German shephard in the middle of a mystery set in Nevada. So far, the dogs are more interesting than the people...I've liked RMB in the past, although more for her novels than her mysteries. I'm still on the fence about this one. Remember: Show, don't tell.

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I know, I know, turkey is traditional, but there's only one of me. If I want turkey, I'll run out an get a package of Hillshire Farms lunch meat, which is already cooked and sliced, and even allowing for to and fro and shopping time, it's still much faster than cooking a whole bird.

By contrast, I don't seem to get ham nearly as often. This one is courtesy of Aldi, spiral-cut, so there's no wrestling with sharp knives. (Combined with frustrated hunger, sharp knives are BAD.) IMO, there are also more tasty things you can do with the leftovers. Ham and cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese with ham, ham and eggs. Pork and beans: Ha! That will dent my bean stockpiles! And turning the last of it into soup in my crockpot will be a treat on a cool day, maybe with a side of cornbread? Yum.

My plans for Thursday are simple: I'm going to stay home, watch the Macy's parade, the dog show that's on after the Macy's parade, and spend the afternoon quietly noshing with a side of TV. Nothing fancy, no drama.

I've heard nothing from Schnauzerland; tried calling a couple times, no answer, nor at T's work. I wonder how things are going on with them, but I have no desire to join them for dinner, whether it's home-cooked or hotel-based. I want to put the drama-llama out to pasture, thanks.

Maybe I'll excavate enough of the office that I can put up my pink Christmas tree over the weekend. Won't that be fun?!

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For the gift exchange the last Christmas I was at the medical billing company, I was fortunate enough to be assigned to the best-dressed gal in the office---IE, someone with fabulous taste, for my Big Gift. One of the things I put on my list for "likes" was leopard print, and she got me a fantastic throw with spotted faux fur on one side and ultrasuede on the reverse. This week, it's been seeing a lot of use. I'm wearing it over my shoulders like a cloak, holding it in place with a binder clip. It's very useful for sitting at my desk, or any other time I'm not in my bedroom. My space heater has been on in there for a solid week now.

Speaking of Xmas, I finally got to exchange belated Xmas gifts with missybrat last night. She took the idea I had for a wreath for my bathroom and ran with it---it's very cute, with little hotel-size soaps and shampoo bottles arranged around a shallow basket. I've got it hanging up in there, and now I *really* want to get the rest of the room fixed up. I angsted a bit over whether she'd really like that sinister Alice-in-Wonderland print by David Gough---and she did! Whew! He's not for everyone, but luckily, the two gals I presented his artwork to---StormValkyrie and Mb---both have offbeat taste.

Although I parted the curtains to check for snowfall several times during the night, there was no sign of it. It's still horrible, no good, very bad, cold, wet weather---currently 50 in my office---and I'm glad J cancelled the session we had scheduled in Melbourne. I've been putting off doing laundry, and the sitch is dire...I'm *almost* really to take it to a laundromat, except a) I don't have that kind of money, and b) I can never seem to go to one without winding up surrounded by screaming parents and kids gone wild. *shudder*
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I've been the recipient of an email requesting the please of my company for turkey dinner at Schnauzerland this evening (a little advance notice would have been nice!), so we'll see what S & T have been up to. I just hope she isn't contagious. I don't want to risk passing anything on to Kat.

I spent much of Christmas afternoon at the C's---it was so funny, I've moved in and taken care of their dogs numerous times, so they now me very well. The little one (a Jack Russell-Cavalier King Charles mix) was so excited to see me that when she charged the screen door, she went through the solid panel at the bottom. The whole thing popped out, although PJ said he wouldn't have been surprised to see a little Rosie-shaped hole in the door.

A half-dozen other folks from church showed up, there was a lot of food---I felt like I was eating all day long, not something I dislike---and we had a lovely time. AI and I exchanged gifts---I made an art-glass necklace for her, and she made two heavily beaded bracelets for me.

Yesterday was my afternoon at the movies. Sherlock Holmes was fun---I *DO* want to see it again. Red took off as soon as it was over, which was disappointing---I would've liked to schmooze---but it was great while it lasted. We both want to see Clash of the Titans, Spartacus: Blood and Sand (John Hannah!) and Sorcerer's Apprentice. She was intrigued by Date Night, I am less so. We both bounced up and down at the trailer for Iron Man 2---May 2010! Yay!

I confess, I did a little extra-curricular shopping while I was at The Avenues. Lane Bryant had 60% off on clearance merch---I got a little brown velvet vest trimmed with little brass studs and grosgrain ribbon. It hooks just under the bust and really shows off what I have in the way of tits and a waist. It makes me think of RenFest---which I miss something rotten!---but it isn't too costume-y. And it was under $20, marked down from something like $39.50. Not TOO infernally extravagant.

Also hit World Market for a fix of CHowards Violet Mints, which I absolutely adore and can't find anywhere else. Talked sternly to myself and didn't get too carried away---*did* get a calendar for next year: Comfort Food, complete with pix AND recipes. Didn't get any of the 75% off ornaments, 50% off accessories, 20% off food.

All my Yuletide offerings have been commented upon. And that's all I'm going to say about THAT.

I've spent most of my waking hours so far on the phone. I've chatted with Kat, spent an hour with GK bending each other's ears, confirmed with S that nothing is going on at Schnauzerland because she's come down with something---which is perfectly okay, because AI and PJ are hosting a small soiree and after that I'm getting together with J to get my cookies.

Had a nice brekie of bacon and eggs, had couple positive comments on my Yuletide endeavors, did a little browsing myself and fired off a rec to someone who I know is into that fandom. Quiet. Low-key. Peaceful.

I hope everyone else is having a pleasant day today---peace, y'all!

On the site "Is it Yuletide yet?" (http://www.isityuletideyet.com/): I can't tell you how much I wish I had put a hit counter on this damn thing!

I remember my first Yuletide; it was the year I was house-sitting at Schnauzerland because S & T were spending Christmas in Hawaii. The story I wrote as a gift has the distinction of being my swan song for the Once Upon a Time in Mexico fandom. I was also very much into Pitch Black; I was simultaneously working on "It Takes One to Know One" and what I eventually titled "Beyond Blade Runner" (slash crossover).

Last year was pretty good; I wrote a Stephanie Plum fic (two out of three of the Plum fics I've written were for Yuletide, the other was a SPN crossover) and a treat for Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer Trilogy.

This year---well, give it a week and you'll see...!

I had some cheese and crackers, watched "Biography" (Robert Downey Jr, DVR'ed yesterday), and took a nap, which helped with the headache. Was surprised and thrilled by an Amazon GC from socialhermit---that's probably going to get me SPN Season 3. Now I think I'm going to go watch my favorite Christmas movie (Die Hard 2) while waiting for Yuletide to open.

Peace on Earth and Good Will to All! (Or Goodwill to you, if thrifting is your thing, wink-wink....)

I was raised to understand that the "correct" response to being given a gift is "Thank you" and a smile. It doesn't matter if the gift is godawful, it doesn't matter if you're going to privately roll your eyes, regift it or throw it in a drawer. You smile and say "Thanks!" to the person who gave it to you. Period.

Saying, "I appreciate the thought, but that pretty much sucks."?! NO. You can think it for all you're worth, but you don't freaking SAY it. Especially not when you know the person who gave it doesn't have the resources for whoop-dee-fucking-doo gifts this year.

Next year, the fucker gets a book on ettiquette and some preprinted "Thank You" cards.

Today warmed up nicely, and Red and I have made plans for Saturday---I'm meeting her at the Rave theaters at 1:20 and we're going to see Sherlock Holmes! Woohoo! I just hope she isn't serious about sitting in the back row....

I had a fun afternoon baking cookies with J. Also took a shower over there, which was absolute HEAVEN: Her water pressure is awesome, she's got a shower-chair that allowed me to shave my legs in comfort, there were sturdy grab-bars everywhere and I've decided if I ever get to build my own house, I want a bathroom just like it.

She and I have exchanged gifts already---I gave her two still-sealed reams of printer paper, and she gave me...a printer. (A good one, too---it's an HP, and we spent 20 minutes exchanging stories of printers past.) Yes, I do still have paper---HWSNBN left most of a carton behind; I still have one more full ream and a partial left, not to mention some colored paper of my own.

Most of my gifting is taken care of already. Thanks to my caffeine addiction, I had a shitload of Coke Rewards points, so quite a few people got magazine subscriptions. (What's cool about that is, it doesn't cost me any actual cash, I don't have to mail anything, and the recipients will think of me everytime they get a fresh issue. Win-win!) And I still have points left. Most of the gals from CUUPs got bling of one kind or another--- another cost-effective gift, considering my craftiness.

I had some bean soup and a few cookies today, and that's all. I think I'm gonna grab some dinner now. TTFN.