Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
"It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes, or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

-How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss


-Kelley, wishing you all a little bit more

Happy Hanukkah, Everyone!!

Dear Santa...Again...But for the last time, I swear...

Really. I'm not being unappreciative again, I promise. I can't tell you how excited I was to find our electricity was back on. Or, okay, maybe you do know. You can see everything and all that. Blah blah. But, look. I'm sorry I scared the one good neighbor we have so badly. I didn't know I was screaming that loudly. Or jumping up and down or running around freaking out.

I was excited, that's all.

(And that rumor about me paying off the utility crew is blatantly untrue. I only tried to bribe the guys fixing the poles down the road to come repair our street first. I never really got to bribe them. Sadly, they had morals and were too professional to name their price. Can I just say, though-what is the world coming to, really, when you can't even bribe people? All this upstandingedishness. Eesh.)

But anyway, the point I'm getting at is, well...Santa, there are 44,000 people in New Hampshire still without power. That's just NH, too, and hey, there's a pretty big storm coming tomorrow. Not to mention, the temperature is going down again.

So, thank you. I'm so grateful you came through for me, I can't tell you. Especially because I didn't exactly keep all my promises. But, if you could do this one last thing, I will. I'll really truly give up the chocolate M&M's and mocking my scary neighbor if you could help them out too? All 44,000. Okay? Cause it's mighty cold out there.

-Kelley, who turned on every light in her house, cranked her heat up to eighty, and danced around singing Christmas carols at the top of her lungs just because she finally could.


P.S.

OH!!! Wait!!! I almost forgot!!! In case you had anything at all to do with it, I got the sweetest phone call today from the NYC RWA chapter when the phones finally turned on...and my book is a finalist in their 2008 contest and on its way to the final round. So, thanks Santa. Just, thank you. :)

Dear Santa...Take Two...

I don't mean to sound ungrateful. Seriously. The generator that Hubby's coworker delivered yesterday afternoon was miraculous. (And fine, I embarrassed myself a little...or a lot... by kissing it, but can you blame me?)I mean, now we can run the furnace and only stumble out into the snow and gusty winds to fire it up about every six hours instead of three. So, I'm appreciative. But the thing was, when I said electricity I sort of meant...electricity. You know. From that whole pole/meter/guy in hard hat thing? Yeah. That's what I meant.

I'm getting desperate, Santa. Forget the neighbor's pajamas. I suspect you didn't buy my promises not to mock her. How about...and this is hard, I want you to know this, Santa...but I'll give up chocolate M&M's. For the most part.

So, please. Can I have some electricity for Christmas, pretty please????

-Kelley, who is now working her way toward day seven of no power and the complete loss of her sanity.

Dear Santa...

All I want for Christmas is some electricity. Please. I'll be nice all year, I promise, I won't even make fun of my neighbor's pj's at all if I can just have this one wish.(Though, seriously, you should see what she's wearing when she goes out to start the generator. I mean, come on. But whatever, I'll stop if you insist.)And soon. Can I have it soon? Like today. Today would be really great.

kthxbai.

-Kelley, who's hoping, as we go into day 6 of no power and more snow expected tonight, that someone will come to New Hampshire's aid soon.

So...

Apparently all my angsty writing drama is getting to Hubby.

I'd slunk into the bedroom after yet another late night of trying to meet deadlines and found Hubby still awake. But what was so surprising was that he was not only still awake, but he was engrossed in a t.v. show-something he never does.

I plopped myself down next to him, but he didn't stir.

"What are you watching," I asked.

But, he ignored me.

"Hello?" I tapped him on the shoulder. "I said, what are you watching?"

Slowly, he turned to me, his eyes glazed. "A really interesting documentary."

"On what?"

He stared at me. Finally he said, "It's about husbands who plotted to off their wives." He took a really long pause, but didn't stop staring at me. "It's . . . fascinating."

And then he turned back to the t.v.

Um. Okay.

Common sense says angsty drama over.


Books I'm Reading

Bonk. By Mary Roach, who is also the author of Stiff and Spook.

Yeah. I know. Envy.

Last Thing I Wrote Today

"You damn traitorous elf!"

Camille raised her fist, and before the security guard could stop her, nailed Jessica with a solid punch to the jaw, sending her flying. With a satisfying thud, she landed in a pile of fake snow, flat on her back under the North Pole side.

"Oh, boy." The little girl with pig-tails giggled. "Santa's going to be really mad at you this time."

Chocolate Consumed Today

Of course.

My Scary Neighbor's Pj's at the Bus Stop

In case you were worried, yes, the holidays are officially here. Pink fleece with candy canes tied with perky green bows.

*sigh*

Quote of the Day

Me: Bob, I just got an email from your teacher. She said she had to move your seat, that you and Madison were giggling and talking and being too disruptive. Care to explain?

Bob: I did it for you.

Me: Excuse me?

Bob: Yeah. I'm trying to be naughty. I figure Santa will bring me coal, and then I can give it to you and you can use it to help heat the house. So, see? I'm just doing it to help you and Dad.