Merry Christmas! I’ve been a real humbug this month and probably shouldn’t have gotten anything for Christmas! But my sweetheart, Earl thought otherwise! I’m writing this post on my Dell notebook!!!!! My own computer, people! Mine! Ever since buying our first multimedia computer back in 1994, they have always been “the family” computer. And then last spring, Earl got his computer, but I never even considered having a computer of my own! Except for the fact that everytime I get near laptop and notebook computers I start to drool! Everytime conversation in a group turns to computers I say, “Well, if I could have any computer I wanted I’d get a notebook. But, you know, with kids it’s just not practical, yada, yada, yada” Well, somebody sweet was paying attention! I was seriously blown away! Earl said he’s never seen me get so excited about a gift before. Well, hello! It’s mine own computer! I’ve named it “Mom’s Computer-Don’t Touch!” Isn’t that a nice name?

But wait, the spoiling didn’t stop there! I also have my own digital camera and printer port. Earl got me the Kodak Easy Share system. It seems like a pretty sweet deal- 5 megapixels and all that, but it’s going to take me a while to get the hang of it all! I’m so happy that I don’t have to borrow the boss’s Sony Mavica anymore! It’s been a lovely camera, but it’s about as big as my head and it stores the photos on a floppy disk! Just not finding too many floppy drives around anymore!

I got Earl some nice things including a NASCAR Sim game, but the poor dear has had to rearrange every wire in the house in order to accomodate all of our new electronic goodies. Specifically, he’s logged about 40 hours in the attic this last week, running network and cable wires. Not to mention that the new furniture for the bedroom is coming next week and he’s having to re-arrange the all the ports in that room too! Poor guy! Older houses just don’t come with all the bells and whistles that new ones do. I barely remember what he looks like, but occasionally he thumps out “I love you” in Morse from up in the attic, so I know he’s thinking of me!

Yesterday we had such a fun time at my brother and sister in law’s house. We decorated a fabulously big gingerbread house which we took home and have been gnawing on like rats ever since! Then we opened our presents last night, because today we are getting an early-ish start to the Bay Area where will spend the day with my stepmother, stepsister, her husband, their children and my brother and sil are driving down too. Will be great fun, but I wanted the kids to have plenty of time to play with their toys before dragging them out on the road. I think it was a good strategy.

So, cheerio! Wishing everyone a happy, happy day ful of love and laughter!
Hugs!