Sleepy, full and happy.

I traveled homeward to my parents' home in New Jersey yesterday only to arrive at an empty house. My parents were still at work and I seized the opportunity to unload my car, wrap a few last gifts and watch the rest of Weeds Season 5. By the time the 'rents rolled in the door I was relaxed, accomplished and making myself at home. I enjoyed a delicious dinner of free-range chicken and home made mashed potatoes with whole garlic cloves crushed in. Snuggling into the loft to sleep last night I thought, "This not having to work stuff is the tits!"

I should totally have gotten this for my Mama for Xmas!

Waking up was yet another pleasant prospect as today held the promise of knocking a few things off of my Mom's to-do list (-->), eat a waffle with honey and peanut butter (check!) and go see Cirque du Soleil!!!!!!








You may recall that I wrote about my mother's birthday a few weeks ago and what we would be doing to celebrate further down the road. Welllll, tonight was the night! Neither of my parents had seen a Cirque performance before which made it all the more special. Sitting in the darkened arena, feeling the drums pound and the seeing the lights flash over the crowd... it was amazing. I turned to look at my mother's face and she was so totally transfixed. At some point I shared with my Mom and Sam that all of the music and vocals were live; that the singers were on stage with the other performers. Every step, every article of costuming, every prop, every note was mesmerizing. Even when the performers showed their humanity a time or two with tiny slip ups.

Today was one more awesome day in a string of what have proven to be a few fantastic weeks. The semester is wrapped, my grades are great, my RAs rocked closing, my students are all safely off on their way home, I've slept and feasted and it's not even Christmas yet. There's still time for a few more Christmas Miracles! to be had. (Whenever something goes right or well at this time of year my family is prone to shouting out, "It's a Christmas Miracle!")

Tomorrow we bake, tidy, soothe the nerves of the hostess and enjoy the sparking tree in the corner. Hurray!

Repurposing, redecorating and celebrating!

Good afternoon! I write you now from the comfort and familiarity of my sofa. Drinking Blue Moon's "Winter Abbey Ale", watching old seasons of "Weeds" and renewing my holiday cheer.

Several years ago my Mom got me a silver, twiggy, fiber-optic Christmas tree. I loved it! It's been a fabulous little tree. But, somewhere, during my many house moves it seemed to have gotten a bit wobbly. I dismantled the base completely to find the source of the wobbly bits. The sleeve that held the pretty trunk of my little tree had broken off one its supports. After hunting about for alternative ways to support the base I came up with some hot glue and twist ties. The following year the base was less stable than ever and I had to prop the tree up by sliding books beneath the base on one side. It was very sad. Very Charlie Brown.

I hit on the idea of turning my dress form into the new base for my "tree". The beauty of the fiber-optic tree was that there was no need for lights. The dress form needed lights. With lights on I knew I could string her  up with ornaments, topper and beads. She's a thing of beauty. I hope you enjoy her, too!