Random Ramblings

Yawn.

We were up very late doing last-minute laundry and packing and such on the night of December 20th-21st, and we had to get up fairly early on the 21st. While callicrates did his morning stuff I went and picked up some last-minute chocolate gifts and breakfast, which were tragically mutually exclusive. For the plane ride I took a cooler as a carry-on, and so we had carrots, fresh fruit, and bottled water bought for less than the GNP of a small country. We had a three-hour layover in Denver, so I grabbed my sweatshirt and Andy's fleece and took a two-hour (or so) nap. We gave out mums (snowflake or star, I think) instead of carnations. While I still much prefer carnations for other times, I love how festive and snowflake-like these mums look.

When we got to Andy's folks' place we chatted, caught up, and did other fluttery things of which even oxygen-deprived air travelers are capable. I managed to fall asleep fairly quickly, and Andy and I pretty much slept until after noon. His friend Tony came over and we hung out for a while. Unfortunately every minute of Tony's from here until he leaves is spoken for, sometimes twice. Sara, his wife, couldn't make it at all. Someday we'll get to see her again. I hope.

Tonight I'm up with my usual insomnia. I had been hoping my internal clock would take a few days to catch up, but it is apparently more resilient than I am. Hopefully I won't yawn too much (or fall asleep) at the paternal in-law gathering tomorrow. I'm making some of the cocoa mix which seems to go over well with people who have tried it and we'll be giving that out as gifts. We may or may not also give out pictures of us as well.

I still love the elliptical. Enough so that even though I forgot my sneakers and my normal boots are not fit for exercise, I've used it anyway. Andy and I may go buy some cheap temporary sneakers since the treads are a bit hard on stocking feet, or I may just find enough old cloth to form a barrier between the treads and me. We only have seven days left and three of those will be spent visiting erish and her spouse in Michigan, so getting sneakers might be a bit silly. I do, however, plan on using the exercise shoes which I left at home for airline travel; they slip off and on easily which is a heaven-send at security screening, and they have some stretch to them which will be good for the inevitable flight-related swelling.

Before we left we got a toaster! Our old one may well have come out of a gumball machine, and probably one of those which didn't cost a whole quarter. We've had it for a long time, and recently it seems to be having its settings beamed to it from some capricious aliens who want drive us out of what's left of our minds. That or maybe Heidi and Sean are changing around its heat sensors when we're not looking. Speaking of the two furballs, they also got a package from the same folks who sent the toaster which may even distract them from sabotaging the new one. Those of you who are culpable, thank you very much.

I had a dream last night that Sean was kitty-napped. Luckily it was one of those dreams in which you know you're dreaming, so I did not freak out and send a zillion e-mails to lowapproach, who is sitting on them... or, rather, kitty-sitting for us. I can't wait to get home and foozle the squeak out of Heidi and the meow out of Sean, though. I hope they've not thrown too many wild parties for the other neighborhood felines.