I started this post about six million times since Christmas, but because Guido was having pluming problems thanks to an external hard drive that messed him up, I was more preoccupied with fixing that then I was with posting.

I did a system restore, and he seems to be working fine, but for a while there he wouldn't start in normal or safe mode without completely locking up in about a minute or two. I finally got him into safe mode to do the restore, and so far so good. I hope that whatever icky bits he gobbled up on Christmas got out of his system and he'll stay working fine from now on.

My Christmas was really great this year, which was what I needed after the year I've had. My brother and sis-in-law came up on Sunday and stayed through Thursday. Sav came on Christmas Eve and stayed until late Christmas afternoon, because her family doesn't celebrate and we decided she needed a Christmas.

I snagged some good stuff, including a huge box of dark chocolates and a bar of French dark chocolate (Thanks Mar!), a crocus growing set, a new pair of PJ's, some people and houses for my Winter village, a Christmas carousel, a couple of nice jar candles, a watch and bracelet set from John, Lost the board game, and one of those cool human bodies that's all lit up that comes all apart with removable organs. I'm the most excited about that one. I am pretty sure that armed with the knowledge it has given me, I don't even need to go to Med school. It even comes with a little metal scalpel, I'm totally set. Who's first?

I cooked dinner, a pretty traditional Christmas dinner, and it all came out really well. Well enough that there was really nothing in terms of left overs the next day, and I didn't poison anyone. That for me means that I must have done something right, or people were really really hungry.

The most exciting part of Christmas this year? It snowed. Woo! It didn't stick, but for most of the day there were large flurries of fluffy stuff spewing down from the sky. I'm a dork, it made me happy.

Stanley The Tree (yes, he got named. No, it wasn't by me for once) got pulled out yesterday and he was laid to rest in the recycling bin. I packed up all my Christmas decorations and put them back in storage. I usually leave everything up until after New Years, but because I go back to work on the 3rd, and then back to school on the 7th, I didn't want to run the risk of becoming lazy and not doing it until February, or until it caught on fire and burned my house down. Both of those options suck, so it was just easier to get it over with.

I hope all you Figments had a great anything you celebrate, and have a wonderful New Year, since that's just around the corner.

HotD:

December flew by,
Fluttering snowflakes and lights,
That was a quick one.

I've got about 3 hours before I have to put on my hostess mask (and by this I mean pants, of course) and pretend to be human. I have some relatives coming in today, and then more people coming tomorrow, which I guess marks the inevitable arrival of Christmas.

I'm happy to say that this year I've completed my shopping, rapped everything, and have even started my baking, all before Christmas Eve. I'm proud of myself Figs, you should be proud of me too.

I've got to get some last minute house cleaning done (No, not my kitchen! You don't know me!) and get the beds in the guest room made up so that people have places to sleep. Other then my floor, which I swear is not as comfortable as people claim.

I'm going to take pictures of the tree today, before packages start vanishing from under it, so I can prove to certain people who don't believe me that it really is 9-feet tall, and 9-feet tall is taller then me.

HoTD:

I have a sore throat.
There are so many jokes here,
But lack voice to speak.

I have paper cuts from wrapping paper. How sad is this?

I've been wrapping non-stop for about four days, this is because as many of you long-time Figs know, I'm the designated wrapper for many people during this time of year. So, once again, my house is full of stuff to be wrapped for others. I don't mind doing this, until it's 2 AM and I'm covered in tape and weird lint from someones slippers and I can't find the scissors and I'm talking to myself surrounded by piles of stuff to still be wrapped.

I'm done, however, so I'm all better now.

HoTD:

Mysteriousness.
I have bruises everywhere,
They are all John's fault.