On the first day of Sockmas, my true love gave to me, a loris in a pear tree!
Ok, I am pretty sure that pear trees don't hang with teeny tangy ruby-fruits, but I think the loris brought its own red fruit to hang in the new pear tree.
It's Officially Sockmas/December/Holidaze/Last New Loris of the 2013 Calendar! We've turned the final page on a year of cute lorises and other creatures that I cultivated for Mr. (W)right's last Christmas gift. Back when he received this one, we still lived cities apart. It felt a bit like the cute critters connected us somehow, especially when it was a "New Loris Day" (reflected in my morning chat with the handsome boyfrianceband!). This year, we may be choosing a calendar for us. Andrew even has input on this new calendar. Less of my gift to him and more our gift to ourselves.
My sweet boyfrianceband continues to prove himself to be more of a gift than anything wrapped in tinfoil and garnished with ribbon. Although the sparkly crown I gave him certainly helps add some holiday cheer, I think. I was set for my foot-saving swimscursion and it was rainy outside, so he decided to play "cardio queen" and hit the exercise machines. Only after he played a little bit of washing machine limbo with a hanger to extract my heart rate monitor.
It was a very weird little DINK day, with me in the pool and Andrew joining my dad on the elliptical machines. I only know that Andrew met up with my dad because my pool-bound pop (seriously shocked that his erstwhile dolphin child was still capable of paddling up and down a pool after a few decade hiatus) later came down to watch me swim. Apparently, I am still capable of swimming all four major strokes, and did so for about fifty minutes. My form is pretty laughable on everything but breast stroke, which was always my strong suit, but I survived even the discerning gaze of my own incredulous father.
And as I shake the water from my ears, I'm ready for my weird and wacky three weeks of holidy blitzkrieg. Maybe I'll even be able to walk again at work in a short spell. Christmas season miracle peradventure?
On the Second Day of Sockmas, my true love gave to me... a sock-saucy simian, and a loris in a pear tree.
Every year I try to buy an ornament that represents that year. Our simian santa here was Mr. 2012. Since I have yet to purchase an ornament for 2013, it's still the newbie on the ornablock. I don't really have a tree yet (possibly shan't manage to actually pull the trigger on this whole purchasing of one either), and don't necessarily put my ornaments away during the non-Christmas season. He's been hanging out with some graduation tassles in the kitchen since the move in April. Actually, has quite the head for recipes. Always warning me when the sauces are about to burn, recommending a dash of oregano there and a sprinkle of cinnamon here, and watching the pot without suppressing its boil.
The training wheels came off yesterday on our rickshaw rampage through holiday shopping. Andrew and I did a thorough survey of REI. Well, yes, we came out with virtually nothing except a gift from Andrew to himself, but seeds were sewn and the internet midwived those teeny embryonic eidoi into full on giftings. It will be a long haul ahead, but between Andrew's REI inspirations and my obsessions with the amazon flash deals (iToilet! I can't believe I missed that sale!!!), a dent has been made in the Wright gift list that is only slightly less dramatic than the dent made to the Wright Kia Rio. And, ok, maybe I found a deal on some leopard print furry slipper boots for my own battered and gelid tootsies.
Oh poor tootsies are still a touch tender, but I'm easing myself back onto the treadmill desk a few strolls through working projects at a time. In the meantime, I have a backup ultrabook setup on the table for sitting-spells. Yes, in addition to swimming, I'm relearning this whole sitting thing. I'm far worse at sitting than swimming and mostly get through it with a lot of fidgets and fluttering feet.
During our shopping excursions, we also retrieved an Advent calendar worthy of my heightened palate (ok, by palate I mean desire for larger hunks of truffle than those teeny stamped out pieces). I thought what with our being married, and Advent chocolate acquired during the marriage being community Advent chocolate anyways, we could share our daily celebratory confection. I do already take small nibbles out of the sundry treats and trifling truffles I bequest to my beloved anyways. So far, peppermint and san juan sea salt.
Let the adventing ensue!
On the Third Day of Sockmas, my true love gave to me... a holly jolly head cold, a sock-saucy simian, and a loris in a pear tree.
Well, the rarest of occurrences strikes twice in our nubile young marriage: I slept in again! What is Andrew doing to me? First, we swap ten pounds (really - an oddly deliberate seven month post-nuptial ritual to consolidate our of-one-flesh community property nonsense... only a little chanting and candles involved). Now, I'm infecting him with my early schedule, and every once in a while, I am humanly capable of sleeping in past 5. Until 6 a.m.!
I know, I know, get a hair cut and get a real job, slacker! This is a good sign that once again that little tickle (my pet name for "the annoyingly sere and searing irritation") at the back of my throat and all-you-can-dri nose goo is actually something with which I've come down. Or a sign that it's bloody dark and cold these days and that bed is darned cozy. I even woke up at 4 a.m. for a spell, thought "well, now I'll never get back to sleep" and then proved myself quite handily incorrect.
Happy to say that my instincts were still sharp enough to get us both fed, lunched-up, and out the door by 6:10 (and impressed to see just how quickly Andrew can go from totally asleep to dressed and packed when you preface the "good morning" with "hey, I overslept, you need to meet me downstairs in five").
So far, other than feeling groggy and needing even more liquids than usual, the head cold doesn't seem to be doing much extra damage. It goes well with the bum foot, which I'm slowly weaning from bed-rest onto my little treadmill desk. An hour of ambling seems like chicken feed to me usually, but it is more than enough for today. Still, nice to get the blood pumping, however I do it.
But before my morning hobble, it's happily on to our seasonal-lite non-specific happy winter not otherwise specified office cards. Ho ho ho-hos are tasty!
On the Fourth Day of Sockmas, my true love gave to me... melting credit cards, a holly jolly head cold, a sock-saucy simian, and a loris in a pear tree.
'Tis the season... to purchase lots of goods and/or to judge people and tut-tut at their horrible commercialism while they purchase many consumables. I swear Black Friday is a true American Pastime: one-third of Americans participate by showing up at stores and participating in the Hunger Games for good sales and better blows; the other two-thirds of Americans participate by smugly proclaiming they are not participating, even though they spend probably more time and energy than the actual shoppers proclaiming their non-participation between reposting articles about the stupidity of Black Friday and binge watching videos showing the dregs of sale-season with a big bin of popcorn.
I actually have nothing against Black Friday as a thing for third parties. I don't like shopping in physical stores and fear crowds, so it isn't my cup of tea. But I can't foment the same pious Schadenfreude that characterizes non-participation for several of my peers. To my understanding, the event isn't about finding the best deal. It's a tradition with associated rituals that have no need to be "reasonable." We're hunter gatherers and we love a game. Sure merchants exploit these things, and surely the end result is a backwash of cash and credit amid the bloodshed. But as I understand it, the motivation is the same as what brings people to concerts and festivals, and the same darker forces that might spark sports riots. Not necessarily the prettiest potential forces at work, but essentially human and mostly festive and friendly. I can hardly watch my friends suit up for a good Goodwill Glitter Sale and then turn around and feel special that I'm too scared to go out the Friday after Thanksgiving without a taser.
I do like a little hunting and gathering from time to time, and this is the window of opportunity for me to shake off my parsimonious predilections and air out the moths in my wallet. As I smooth off the soot of Black Friday and shoot past Cyber Monday, I've alit upon serious shopper mode. I reach this mode about once or twice a year and try to take advantage of the fevers. My biggest window is generally Cyber Monday through just before Christmas. Not only do I have the inevitable blitz of shopping for nephews and family and other loved ones to do, but I tend to forestall many of my routine otherwise-needed purchases until this window opens. It's generally hard for me to purchase things. I'm a very indecisive person who dislikes too many options and strongly abhors spending unnecessary money. But if I'm already buying something, I can usually plug my nose and cannonball into it. Hey, I was getting back into swimming again anyways, right? And hey, lots of things are on sale. This being me, I save up lots of money through the year that officially goes onto my credit card on December 1st for immediate spending.
So, I've gotten much of my Christmas shopping done (my inner child all but demanded on threat of tantrum that I purchase the really awesome flying pterodactyl and child-size dune buggy thingy for the nephews). But I've also purchased the humidifier that I've needed for several months, a shiny christmas tree, my annual ornament, new slippers (my old ones have holes), and a zesty new heart rate monitor watch. It's pink!
By the way, regarding that last tidbit: the Polar FT7 is water resistant, but - unless I've developed a case of severe and persistent tachycardia, I don't think it handles the washing machine very well. Apparently I should sort my workout clothes before throwing the bag in the washing machine.
Now that I've spent a chilling amount of money in a few days, it's time to sit back and watch the porch for packages! Mail! I get mail!!!
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