So, how was your holiday?
To be honest, mostly I've just been either laying around reading or sitting in front of the computer catching up on some backlogged maintenance work that needed to be done - updating hubby's website (didn't get to mine), re-establishing some business and personal connections, updating my online networking profiles and so forth.
Christmas saw us dining in splendor at a local Indian place we both love. Great meal, great company, and peaceful quiet at home. Perfect. Thom got me a cozy pair of Polar Fleece split-toe socks (the kind you wear with flip-flops) to keep my toes toasty in the cold and a box of truffles from the Chocolate Fetish boutique, as well as a board game called
Pente that we used to love to play as teenagers over at a friend's house. We always promised ourselves we'd get our own set, but never got around to it. Now we have it and I've been trouncing him steadily ever since. I got him a subscription to the Fine Woodworking magazine he's been going on about for a while, a book on basic metal working and a lovely milk chocolate/hazelnut bar from the local Fair Trade emporium. We also each got a gift card from my Dad (mine at Barnes and Nobles, his at Home Depot) and Mom sent us some lovely saucers she found at a yard sale that are just perfect (we're were short on saucers and use them continually.) The cats (ours and the neighborhood strays) shared a can of tuna in oil, which they enjoyed highly.
As for New Years, we had considered spending our New Years Eve at a local pub where they have some great live music, but around 5pm or so we both just sort of looked at each other and came to the mutual conclusion that neither of us wanted to ring in the New Year in a crowded, smoky, ear-drum-shattering crush of sweaty people. So we went to the movies.
Casino Royale, to be specific. Much more enjoyable. Nothing like ringing in the New Year with a big screen full of eye candy of all varieties - hot guys, hot chicks, hot cars, hot clothes, hot locations and hot action. Yummy! By the time we got out of the theater, the nasty cold rain had stopped, leaving behind clean, mist-shrouded atmosphere that was warmer than it had been all day. And, since it was almost 12:45 when we hit the road, all the drunks were either settled in for the rest of the night at their party spot of choice or already arrived at home, so our drive home was clear and peaceful. Sweet.
Today we went to the
zoo mall to
make fun of the monkeys do some people watching and get some exercise. We had previously attempted to go for a walk in the park, but despite the inviting sun the wind was simply wretchedly, bitingly cold, so we decided to hoof it indoors. We got a chance to stretch our legs and fondle the clothes, then went out for an absolutely wonderful dinner at a local place we both love, but simply can't afford to eat at very often. Because of a recent policy change in our auto insurance, we didn't have to pay this month's premium (even got 13-odd dollars back), so we decided to spurge on a "quality of life insurance" dinner. Worth every penny (and really, when you consider that it's one of those places that serves large plates and as a result we both have enough leftovers for a not-insubstantial dinner tomorrow, the price is actually pretty reasonable. Mmmm...leftovers...).
Alas, now it's all drawing to a close. It's been a very enjoyable vacation. Gotta be getting back to work tomorrow, but for now I still have a few, brief hours of freedom to do as I please before hitting the sack early, in anticipation of resuming my regularly scheduled 6:30am zombie-walk into the working world. Ah, freedom. How fleeting are thy days.
Hi ho, hi ho...
