<p>Ladies… Over there, in that caca d’oie crockpot with the duct-taped cord, we have some excellent hot cider, liberally spiked with Barbadian rum. It should do the trick.</p>
<p>I know it’s early but I’ll have some now. My DH forgot to turn off his alarm when he got up at o’dark-thirty yesterday to drive to the airport and so guess who woke up at the same time today? </p>
<p>Maybe it will put me out again. Or at least calm the outrage I felt when I looked at the clock! :D</p>
<p>But on a happy happy note…it’s a good shopping day when you find a fabulous skirt at the thrift shop for $1.99!</p>
<p>It’s a long, patchwork type of Indian skirt in shades of beautiful blue and other colors. It just needed some work on the buttonholes (which go down the front.) Guess the person who let it go didn’t know how to use a needle & thread. My gain! 
</p>
<p>And I realized son #4 can wear all those winter shirts that son #3 left behind in his chest of drawers as “I wouldn’t wear those at college if they were the last shirts on earth.” 
</p>
<p>To tell the truth, I am trying to avoid going to the mall until about…January 6.</p>
<p>No bricks and mortar store and mall christmas shopping so far. Lots of free shipping/no tax deals.</p>
<p>I read an article about non-commercial holiday gifts and I will pass my favorite ideas on:</p>
<p>One was to give away something you own (and love). My lovely friend Richard did this one year. We were all poor and in our early 20’s at the time… He went through his things and gave away items that others had admired. To me he gave his perfectly worn in and faded JEANS JACKET --!!-- we all know how transitional-object-like those are! It meant so much to me, as much as anything I have ever received.</p>
<p>Second idea. Send a letter to your friend and tell them ten things you love about them. All week, I have been working on my letters with tears streaming down my face! So lovely to sit and marinate in the tender emotions, to really try to nail someone’s greatness down in ten sentences. </p>
<p>BTW just saw “Lars & The Real Girl.” It is really touching and wonderful. If you want a sweet and emotional experience for the holidays go see it.</p>
<p>In the Christmas spirit, I have to share this link which a friend sent. It involves broccoli and a well-known carol:</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Broadcast Yourself.](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com:80/greeting_view?s=V0C1sRGDUbk&p=EA34CDEE00F9E157]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com:80/greeting_view?s=V0C1sRGDUbk&p=EA34CDEE00F9E157)</p>
<p>Just when you think you’ve seen it all…Enjoy!!! :D</p>
<p>I was last poster–Now I have to do my own p. 2 rescue?</p>
<p>Just came in to get a rum toddy for my headache. This cold rainy weather is murder on sinuses.</p>
<p>Do you all realize this winter break is probably the last long stretch at home for our kids who are seniors in college? Boo-hoo. :(</p>
<p>Unless they don’t get jobs and come back home instead of sleeping on the sidewalk. :D</p>
<p>D has informed me she won’t be home this summer. Staying in college town to do research in the psych lab she is working with on her independent work. Just makes me deflate, a little bit.</p>
<p>I will have a hot apple cider with rum. It’s even cold here in California.</p>
<p>However, today I bought a pair of pink cowboy boots for my five year old niece, who has eyes as blue as cornflowers and cloudy wisps of blond hair and the spirit of a rowdy brilliant devil.</p>
<p>There’s always something good to enjoy somewhere.</p>
<p>^^ aww, pink cowboy boots </p>
<p>I want grandchildren and I hope they also have “the spirit of a rowdy brilliant devil”</p>
<p>When my youngest son was 5, he insisted on getting green cowboy boots. He convinced Grandma to but them. He truly thought they were made out of Godzilla skin.</p>
<p>It is nice having them grow up, there taste in clothing improves, at least a little bit.</p>
<p>Anyone ever had a cranberry martini?</p>
<p>Awwwwwww, Alu, I am feeling you.</p>
<p>PS Bonus: she can experience the humidity of an east coast summer now and modify future plans accordingly</p>
<p>Working my usually blase* self into a pre-holiday lather here. DS arrives in 72 hours. No problema. It’s just that I’m still in brainstorming mode for the triple-witching fete season this year. Chanukkah, Xmas, 21st birthday - bing, bang, bong… one on top of the other.</p>
<p>I’ve got the Chanukkah belated thing covered. Latkes and NLTD (thanks Alley denizens for that idea). </p>
<p>Working on the 21st thing. We’re giving him 21 items - mostly little, to be opened throughout the day: $21, 21 pesos, a check for $19.86 and another for $20.07, $21 gift certificate to his primary food source (Chiplotle’s), 21 shares of stock -okay maybe not 21 depending on which stock we choose, chocolates, some 1986 wines. Working on my favorite which is a “21 Great Things About You” document. The two light-hearted ones so far:
- You do your own laundry.
- You did not murder me when I mowed a stripe up the back of your head.
And lots of more serious ones.</p>
<p>So-o-o-o. That leaves Christmas. Stumped.</p>
<p>**okay, so I didn’t handle the whole Transfer Wars that calmly; who’s counting :p?*</p>
<p>jmmom–you’re a good mother*. When DS turned 21 I think we sent him a check and a couple bottles of something alcoholic (Guinness & sake, if I recall.)</p>
<p>^^ Yeah, but how big was the check :D?</p>
<p>Alu - from one of my favorite tear-jerky mom songs:
It’s just that someone should have given us a guarantee that we could choose the time, the place and the manner.</p>
<p>Thanks for the support all. </p>
<p>The good part of doing this mom/child thing in 2007 is that technology can really help. This morning, as I am reading in bed, I get a call from D. Mama, can you Google something for me? Sure honey:). Her IM tells me where she is and what she is doing. Her cellphone makes it easy for her to call me as she walks between classes. </p>
<p>I am just trusting in the same phenomenon that brought my siblings and me all back to live near our parents after our educational forays on the East Coast. Great parenting? Nope. Deep family tradition? Nope. Respect for our elders? Nope.</p>
<p>Killer weather. Large educated population with liberal political tendences. For those who grew up here it can be hard to leave…and compelling to return to. Yes, I am placing my hope for the return of my babies on California. Arnold, in fact, could you put that in your Kahlifornia commercials please? Children come home, it’s nice here.</p>
<p>Off to Christmas shop. Everything else has been done on the Internet. Today I must venture to the Stanford Shopping Center. Send marmots if you don’t hear back from me.</p>
<p>jmmom I am stealing your idea about the 21st bday for 2008 when D will make the big leap.</p>
<p>It is free for the stealing, Alu. As I stole it from some other cc thread. Of course.</p>
<p>Well, I stole the 21 items idea. The 21 Great Things is mine-all-mine.</p>
<p>I am also thinking of 21 words of wisdom. If I can condense it down to that ;). Any ideas?</p>
<p>Here ya go–</p>
<p>If I am not for myself, who is? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?</p>
<p>–the Sage Hillel</p>
<p>Wow. PERFECT.</p>
<p><em>beams</em> <em>curtsies</em></p>
<p>:)</p>