Our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my parent’s house turned out to be quite wonderful. So good, we decided to stay over there on Christmas night too so that Mike would be on “my side” of town and we could hit Fry’s early on Friday morning. We played LOTR Trivial Pursuit with Jason on Christmas Day (”Santa” brought it for him) and he almost beat Mike & me! It was a really nice day for everyone.

Thursday night my Mom got a phone call from one of my aunts. My Grandmother had had a stroke on Christmas Day. (They think that she had one previously earlier in the month, but the nursing home said she didn’t.) My Mom talked with my other aunt that lives there in North Dakota to get more details.

Friday morning my Mom received word that my Grandmother had passed away at 5:30 am. It’s hard to explain and it may sound really strange, but it’s almost a relief - she had Alzheimers, and she has been a shell of her former self for many years. The last time I visited North Dakota, she was not able to really talk other than a few phrases that she used to frequently use. She hasn’t “known” me or Jason for years. I made my peace with it years ago - but as anyone who has dealt with Alzheimers first hand will probably say - it’s like watching someone that you love die, even though their physical being is left behind.

I know she is in a better place. I am at peace with that.

The end result is that I’ve felt very introspective for the past few days, and it will probably continue for awhile. I have family obligations to take care of, a son to spend time with, and a household that needs some attention too. My online time will be very limited over the next few days or weeks. If you need to reach me and you have my phone number - feel free to call. I’m not sure how often I’ll even be checking my e-mail. Sort of a hiatus from electronics - I just need some digital down time. I’m sure it all makes sense - I just need to regroup, refocus, and find some inner peace that I’ve lost somewhere along the way in the past few months.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again to everyone for your support - I truly appreciate it more than I can express with words, and it is warming and touching to sense the sheltering warmth that I know surrounds me, both with my friends here in Houston and around the globe.

May you find peace ahead in 2004…

Natalie was going to meet me around lunch time to pick up her soaps and lotions, and she generously offered to pick me up and drive me over to the Metro offices because they are almost on the other side of downtown from my office. I was able to pick up my purse without any problems and everything was there in it - I thanked them about 20 times, and I plan on writing a long, gushing letter to Metro about how great they are - and how thankful I am.

After that, Natalie and I went over to Pappa’s BBQ for lunch … yummmmm … and then she dropped me off at my office and I headed to Skoogie’s to get my hair cut. I needed a fresh look, but I’m afraid he might have cut it too short. Oh well, it’s hair - it will grow.

Now it’s time to finish wrapping the gifts and then head over to my parent’s house. Let the holiday festivities begin!

Thank you everyone for your kind words, well wishes, and general support - I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I hope your holidays are wonderful and filled with light and joy!

Metro just called me back. Not only has my purse been found, they got someone to deliver it to downtown right away (it normally takes a day or two), and it is waiting for me at the Metro Lost and Found desk.

I can breathe again.

Riding in to work this morning, I was thinking about the things I have to do today and the things I want to do today. I have gifts to finish wrapping, I need to get together with Natalie to deliver her Sudsalicious soaps. I would like to go and get my hair cut and have a pedicure later today, but I’m not sure if they will have an opening at the salon. Light things, happy things - things to counter my bitter angry thoughts.

It might have worked too, if I had not LEFT my purse on the BUS!

I’ve called Metro lost and found. They are working on getting ahold of the bus - fortunately the buses are going to a midday lot because they will be running out of downtown early today - they pick back up at noon. I’m just waiting to hear back from them.

Meanwhile? I just want to put my head on the desk and cry.

I don’t necessarily believe in Astrology, but a lot of times I find it ironic and interesting in a way. My horrorscopes for today? From Astrocenter.com:

The world is constantly revolving, CHRISTINE, and there is no reason you shouldn’t be revolving with it. You might have a lot to learn from Aries (Mike?) today, especially in the very spontaneous way in which they react. Spontaneity is not your specialty. You are much too cautious and afraid of what other people might think of your actions. Try and forget about your image for a while. It could do you a world of good!

From MSN Astrology Home:

Today, you may ask yourself, dear Libra, if you are satisfied as a person. How is your personal life? Do people live up to your standards, or are you always left feeling dissatisfied? It may be time to make some important decisions in your life. What do you really want out of life? Today, you might find some of the answers.

All things considered … interesting, very interesting…

Really, nothing says Christmas like temperatures in the 60s and 70s. I’m convinced that the Heat Miser is the patron saint of Christmas here in Houston! Come on, you know you want to sing along (there is music here for you)…

I’m Mister Green Christmas
I’m Mister Sun
I’m Mister Heat Blister
I’m Mister Hundred and One
They call me Heat Miser,
What ever I touch
Starts to melt in my clutch
I’m too much!

Gets stuck in your head every time, doesn’t it? Maybe I will have a Heat Miser sing along at the H-Town Bloggers Downtown Lunch today! Wouldn’t that be fun? (In Houston? Near downtown? Want to join us for lunch? Let me know!)

[Dedicated to Jenn and Sam, who needed some Heat Miser this holiday season!]

As we waited in the long line to see Return of the King, Mike asked the big question:

If they were to face off, one-on-one, who would win - Gandalf or Dumbledore? Why? Please discuss…

[Dedicated to Erika, who might just be the biggest Harry Potter fan after all.]

Why is it that you always think of the ultimate coolest gift you could get for someone at the last minute - when it’s way too late to make it happen? What is up with that?!? I just had a total flash of inspiration. Unfortunately it would involve a lot of time on my part, making things, having things done at a store and that sort of thing. Gah! It’s way too late now. *sigh* Maybe for the next holiday. Maybe as a New Year’s gift. We should give gifts on New Year’s Day, don’t you think? You know, after everything has been marked down at the stores and the prices are better for the budget anyways?

Damn. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this gift earlier.

On a positive note, with a few minor exceptions that I will pick up tonight, my holiday shopping is DONE. I will even be wrapping my gifts tonight. It’s like a Festivus miracle!

I finally felt “well” enough over the weekend to focus on getting some Christmas decorating done at last, along with making it a Lord of the Rings trilogy marathon weekend. Friday night we watched the extended version of the Fellowship of the Ring, Saturday afternoon we watched the extended version of The Two Towers, and yesterday we went to see Return of the King. It was quite simply wonderful. I need to see it a second time to fully process it and write up my thoughts on it - it was amazing!

While we were waiting in the HUGE line for the movie (and we got there almost an hour early!), we were talking with Jason about what he wants for Christmas. For the past two weeks, I’ve tried to get a Christmas wishlist out of him, and he’s put me off because he was busy studying for Midterms. What? Studying for midterms was more important then a Christmas list?!? I think it was a ploy to get us to think he was being extra good this year so we would get him even more gifts, because he sure does have an extravagent wishlist!

- A laptop computer
- A remote control land sea crusier
- Another remote control car
- A cell phone (Uhm, he never calls anyone?)
- Enter the Matrix for PS2

And that’s it. We started suggesting other things, and he said that he would like the LOTR Risk game (and I think I’m going to get LOTR Trivial Pursuit too.) I got him a nice wooden 7-in-1 game set with a nice wooden chess board. Obviously, I’m not getting him a laptop or a cell phone. (I’ve created a gadget junkie!) I suggested Legos and K-Nex, but he doesn’t seem to be too interested in either one anymore - I guess that is what happens when you’re almost 12.

Now I need to think of a few more things in the $10 - $20 price range. I was thinking of getting him a model car set or two - he has done one before and enjoyed it. I just don’t know what the “good” brands are. Anyone have model car tips? Or other gift ideas for an 11 year old boy?

Meanwhile, after seeing Return of the King yesterday, I want a Kung Fu Gandalf Action Figure! What’s on your wishlist?

I saw the ENT specialist, and it turns out that I have Tonsillitis - so my comment last week to the first doctor that “if I didn’t know my tonsils had been removed, I would think that I had tonsillitis” wasn’t that far off after all. There is a portion of my tonsil that is still there on the right side of my throat, and that is what is inflamed. He said that more than likely, it was never removed when I was a kid. (They can grow back, but he didn’t think that was the case.) So now it’s infected, and I get to go through yet another round of antibiotics! Turns out that Tonsillitis just doesn’t give a damn about the Z-Pack or erythromycin - it doesn’t respond to them. So I got a shot and I get to take Avelox. If it doesn’t respond to that, there is a very minor chance that it could be Epstein Barr virus, but he said that that is unlikely. (Considering I’ve had swollen glands for some time, and I’m always fatigued, I have this fear that that is what it will be - but I am trying not to be paranoid and will try not to focus on that. Not yet.) I have a follow-up appointment in 10 days just in case, but hopefully - hopefully! - this will finally go away and I will be done with it!

Most importantly, I appreciated that he took the time to see me, to listen to my concerns, and to address them. I didn’t feel brushed off, and I felt like I left there with a solution, not just a vague “I don’t know what it is, but here’s some medicine” - which is how I felt on Monday. Two thumbs up for Dr. Andrews!

They did a rapid strep test at my doctor’s appointment on Monday, told me that I didn’t have strep, wrote me a prescription for a Z-Pack and scooted me out the door. It’s bothered me all week - if I don’t have strep, why do I have these funky lumps in my throat? What is going on? They tried to explain it away by saying it was probably just from drainage. Good idea, but I didn’t have any drainage. And even after 4 days on the Z-Pack, the lumps aren’t going away and my throat is still sore.

I found an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist in downtown, and I have an appointment for 3:15 today.

Last night I decided to lay on the couch to watch Will & Grace - I would get up and do all the holiday things still looming over me afterwards. That was at 8:30 - and I woke up at midnight. I stayed awake for about an hour as I watched last night’s episode of ER (the only episode I missed last season), and then I headed back to bed. I guess I was even more tired then I thought I was - and it was so nice to finally, after 4 weeks, have a nice quiet night at home. Yes, I’m a regular Rip Van Winkle…

Did you know you can use Google to track your packages? Type in FedEx, followed by your tracking number, and you’ll get results. Type in the UPS number, you’ll get results. I love it! Google rocks! [Via Biz Stone, Google Employee.]

Our firm Christmas party is tomorrow night. There will be a White Elephant gift exchange; the kind with nice gifts - not gag gifts. We have a $30 spending limit. Everyone at work always comments about how much they like the lotion that I make but they have never seen the holiday soaps. So my big plan was to make a nice gift bag with several holiday soaps, a nice vanilla candle, a stress relief heat pack for your shoulders and a back massager thing. Is that cheesy though that I’m making the soaps that I’m including? I mean - I sell them. If I bought them, I know what they would cost. So that’s ok, isn’t it?

I haven’t made soap in awhile, and had forgotten just how much fun it can be! Especially creating new things - I got a flying pig mold earlier this year and I think the new soaps I made in it are going to be adorable! I’ll post a photo tomorrow when they are ready. My snowflakes and my Celtic knot hearts look wonderful too!