I agree, Shaw, that based on her actions, she’s the type who would be touched by a small token of your appreciation 
I’ll add my vote to the “Send the gift” crowd, shaw. The GF sounds like a winner!
The last couple of years I’ve gotten just a few small things for D’s then BF. Now that they’re engaged, I need to up my game. I think I’ll give him tickets to a Bruins game – or maybe 1 ticket to him and 1 to D … But, I also want to do a stocking since they’ll be with us at the beach for Christmas Eve and day. He doesn’t like milk or dark chocolate, so that leaves white chocolate. One thing he does really like, though, is bacon – and I found bacon flavored dental floss at this great store in Harvard Square. That may well be my brilliant buy of the season!
H is off to CA for 3 days, and then on Thursday we’re headed to the beach for both Christmas and New Year’s. Last night he was freaking out about the only 2 gifts he buys each year – one for D and one for S. So he found what he wanted online and realized they wouldn’t arrive in Cambridge before we leave. So no problem, have them sent to RI, right? EXCEPT both items will be sent via USPS, and all mail from RI is forwarded to MA from Nov - April – meaning if the items were sent to RI they would be sent on to MA. (Last year I forgot this and some small item I ordered was in mail limbo for well over a week.) Of course this all was somehow my fault … I finally hit on the idea of having stuff sent to realtor’s office. (He’s also a neighbor.)
About 250 cookies made yesterday by DIL and D and I. Successful party on Sat. night. One more party tonight - different set of friends we call it our leftover party as they get the leftovers from the Sat. night party which they are all A-OKAY with. Sounds bad but they don’t seem to mind. Then hopefully it’s wrapping, knitting and sewing - not necessarily in that order. I think I purchased my last couple of presents for S on line this morning. I still need to do an inventory of what I have for people but I think I’m good. 
I’m in the buy the GF a present Shaw. I think it’s a nice idea and she sounds like she is so helpful to your S.
Yes, Shaw, send the GF the present. Older D has never met her BF’s parents, but they did give her (through the BF) a Diwali present. That was interesting to D, given that the parents aren’t really okay with their son dating someone outside of their culture.
All the presents that are currently in the house are wrapped and under the tree. Lots ordered online that still has to trickle in.
I took today off (I have a few use or lose days), and got a bunch of shopping done especially for D and SIL. Still struggling on what to get for H.
I also put the artificial tree up in the family room sent the family cards and gift to my parents, and will hang the garland this afternoon. H and S will buy the real tree for the living room later today and we’ll put that up and decorate tonight.
Thank you. The present is a go. What ShawD bought is apparently very pretty ($80 at TJ Maxx). Do we mail it to her now (for Chanukah/Christmas/whatever) or do we wait until we get out there in mid-January to give it to her in person? The houseboat is about 1.5 hours away so we will probably take ShawSon (and her) out to dinner about once a week. I vote for mailing it.
I vote you mail it now, shaw.
Mail it–anytime between now and New Year’s as thank you and happy winter holiday. Sounds like a lovely person.
My dilemma is that H can see anything I order online for him on his own devices when the confirmations come in.
I have a personal account but Amazon is Prime has our joint one.
I feel like I am missing a simple solution–anyone?
It is so dark most of the days that it is difficult to tell when it is actually nighttime.
This has been a really dark spell and has the effect of making D wonder if she can move back here permanently
in the future
Also, my sleep schedule is completely upside down! Baked until nearly morning but then sleeping too late.
Although, this is the first year that I did not leave anything out! as has happened in years past due to people interrupting me as I am measuring. Maybe my new tradition.
S and DIL and G’Son will arrive on the 19th and leave the 24th. Stopped at REI and bought a two wheel
bike. It looks too big but was what the chart and they suggested. It is cute. It is actually one size bigger
than S’s first 2 wheeler as he has one at age 2.5–and took right off. He had Fisher Price roller skates/helmet
at 18 months and rolled around the kitchen. Then he turned out to be totally not interested in athletics.
Skateboarding was it.
Wow, already buying a bike! Time flies.
Son had a Very Awkward Experience over the weekend. He was leaving Fiance’s house to go to a concert with her family. He and fiancé were in the back seat of the parents’ car. Future FIL backed into Son’s car. Son said that he parked especially far away from the driveway (so his car wouldn’t be in the way). No one yelled; everyone got very quiet; future MIL swore softly. Of course, future FIL said he will pay and it’s bad enough that it really should be repaired. As the kids used to say: Awkward. Hopefully in a few years it can be a funny story they tell.
Does sound awkward. he wants to maintain good relations with future FIL who probably screwed up and is unhappy about it.
Better than your S backing into future FIL’s car! Sounds like they handled it as best as they could, considering the circumstances!
Awkward, indeed.
Hi All – it has been a challenging few weeks – 18 family members in for the whole of Thanksgiving week, which was noisy, crazy and wonderful, followed by the death of a friend after a three year battle with cancer. Such sadness. Her kids were a little older and a little younger than D, and I’ve known her for more than 20 years.
But I am looking forward to D coming home for a Christmas visit, and our house is lit up enough to be visible from space.
So true, cq!
I’m sorry about your friend, arabrab.
Terrible about you friend arabrab!
Sorry about the car MP. My mother hit my H’s car not long after we were married. She just backed out of the driveway and didn’t think about the fact that he was behind her and didn’t look. So – it does happen to others.
Survived the party, the cookie day, and the “leftover party”. Tonight a clean up from the leftover party - just too tired last night after the last people left. Then maybe I can get back to normal. The only thing that will keep me going today is LOTS of caffeine!!!
So sorry. I keep thinking of my friend who passed away in October…still can’t believe she’s gone. Isn’t it a grim annual chore, deleting the dead folks from the Christmas card list? It sounds trite, but so sad.
Sorry to hear about your friends. We had ShawWife’s Bday party and invited a friend whose husband died (with ShawWife there) on her birthday two years before. I asked ShawWife whether there was anything we should do. She said, “It’s my birthday and nothing else.”
My father’s Yarzheit (you light a candle and say a prayer for a loved one who has died) was the next day. We don’t light the candle, but we did spend a little time thinking about him.
In the last couple of days, I have ordered things from Amazon for which, as a Prime member, I have been offered free same day shipping. I have been checking that box simply because it amazes me.
CBB - check out Archie McPhee for a host of bacon inspired gifts for fiance’s stocking.
(Bacon bandaids, bacon scented stick-on mustaches, etc… you get the idea.
Hi woody!
Today is the second of three days off this week. Got so much done on Monday that I have some free time. Still trying to figure out what to buy for H. Personally I would be ok not buying anything for each other, but he won’t go for that.
I have an odd situation. I received an email from a woman in my neighborhood a few days ago, she is someone I know but haven’t seen/talked with in maybe 5 years (not any issues between us, just on separate life tracks). She sent it to several people in the neighborhood (mostly people I only know to say hi to) and told us that a woman “Jane” on my street is undergoing chemo and would we take a meal to the family. I emailed back “yes” and asked what day and she told me she had no schedule, it was just something she had heard about “Jane” and thought it would be nice. She also mentioned that she has not really seen/talked to Jane in several years. So…apparently she heard through the grapevine. I don’t feel comfortable calling Jane or her H (I know them only slightly and they are very quiet). I am not sure how Jane would feel knowing that people are talking about her, or if in fact this is even true. Or it is true and she is keeping it private. So for now I haven’t done anything.