Life: It Goes On - November 24

It is well and truly winter here now. Our first sleet, our first snow, our first day to use our scrapers after work. Once again I'm asking myself "why do we live here?" Oh yeah, family.

We got an early Christmas present this week. My computer has been on its last legs for years. I haven't had a word processing program since the last time we had to clean it off and I couldn't use the program I needed to be able to download NetGalley books onto my Nook. I think dust was holding my computer together! Given that we have our own Apple genius living on premises, we decided to get a Mac. Mac users, what's your favorite thing about your computer?

Here's What I'm:

Listening To: I'll finish Anna Quindlen's Rise and Shine this week but, with the holiday, I'm not sure I'll start a new audiobook. We'll be doing some driving over the long weekend but I can't convince The Big Guy that he needs to suck it up and just let me listen.

Watching: Will and Grace reruns. I'd forgotten how funny that show was.

Reading: Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker for an upcoming TLC review. I'm really enjoying the history included with the story. I had no idea when I started the book that Elizabeth Keckley, the title character, was a real person.

Making: Chili, peanut butter cups, toffee bars, peanut soup. It's all about comfort food this week.

Planning: On skipping Black Friday this year. Well, sort of. I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving day and I'm kind of tired of getting up early to fight crowds and stand in long lines. I may be doing a lot more of my shopping online for the deals.

Grateful: To Abraham Lincoln, who, in the middle of the Civil War, still found enough to be thankful for that he proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving. Prior to 1863, states scheduled their own days of Thanksgiving. Thanks, too, to Sarah Josepha Hale, who wrote to Lincoln suggesting the idea.

Loving: Scarves. It's so cold in my office that I've been wearing a scarf almost every day trying to stay warm.

Feeling: I'm trying to feel relaxed, trying to go with an "if it gets done, it gets done" attitude about the holidays and reduce the stress. Of course, that's easier to do now, not as easy to do the closer to Christmas we get!

Thinking: Of taking some computer classes at the community college. I'd love to be able to write code.

Looking Forward To: Being with our families this week!