Spoiled, and the kitty Christmas miracle!

Well, I'm so spoiled, and I haven't even gone to Mom's house yet!!!

From my sweetie -- an assortment of super-dark chocolates, a gift certificate to a spa (for massages, yay!), a McSweeney's book I've been wanting, and these socks with toes!!!


I also got from, my cousins, the movie "A Fish Called Wanda," so sweetie has to deal with me running through the house like a maniac yelling "Uh-oh! K-k-k-Ken's coming to k-k-k-kill me!" And an electric kettle so I can make coffee or tea at school. And from my auntie, the Neil Gaiman book "Fragile Things" and some air-bake cookie sheets.

From my Sister-in-law, a gorgeous hand-made calendar illustrated with seasonal pics of our niece and nephew and an Ikea gift certificate. From mom-in-law, cute Xmas towels and a book I've been wanting. From younger sister-in-law (and the families, of course), an Amazon gift certificate! Whoo-hoo!

From my uncle, See's truffles!!! From grandma, money (made out to myname husband's lastname, so I think I'll have to take the ol' marriage certificate to the bank -- at least she spelled it right, because people seem to keep thinking it's got another whol syllable). And Dad and stepmom went kind of overboard -- I got jammies, a robe, a pizza stone (with cutter and grater thing), a zen fountain, towels, and a cake/cupcake tote carrier deal. It was very thoughtful, although if they'd asked what I wanted, I'd have said a garbage disposal.

And, miracle of miracles, my weird, fat, lazy cat actually played!!!

I gave her a fuzzy catnip-filled mouse, which at first she was wary of:

But then after a little while, she started jumping around and attacking it! She hasn't done a lot of that since she was a kitten. Even now, I can hold one of those little bell-and-feather-on-a-stick things and shake it at her for an hour, and she'll just watch it as if she's strategizing. But look! Photographic evidence of Mina playing.



So a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good morning!