elanya

Christmas... I like Christmas. I like getting things for peple that I hope they will like. I prefer to surprise them than to get them things they are expecting... I think I generally do a good job of it. It is easier for some people than others. Joel is impossible to get things for. I think I did good this year, though. Hazel liked hewr dance belt and Shakira CD, mom liked her Gian cast iron and stained glass bee, and Joel liked his books (Of course he did, he told me specifically what he wanted, isbn, author and price and everything... *sigh*). For my part, I think I'm blessed with family and friends who know me well enough to get me presents I like, even though I'm not the list making type, normally. Some random things I got, as they come to mind...

A chinese style wooden practice sword, so I can practice sword fighting stuff. It would be perfect for learning the Kung Fu sword form too, if i can find a place in Ontario (from Joel's parents). A Tom Waits CD (my first, Blood Money, from Rob), a gorgeous turquoise silk coat from Hazel... She always knows how much effort it takes to hide my presents. I saw the box *once* for about 5 seconds and recognized it isntantly as a Cultures box. She sucessfully implanted doubt in my mind, however, by pointing out how many boxes she had brought home from work for other things. I knew it was clothes, too, when I shook the box, but I had no idea what... especially considering that when I went to show it to her in the store, she had alrady bought it! Clever girl.

From Bronwen, I got an awesome picture of one of my gaming characters... Alex, the coke-head with uncontrolled pyrokinesis. He's just perfectly lovely, his died black hair showing his blode roots, and his blonde eyebrows, and black nail polish, and his journal open, a fountain pen lying on his desk by the near-dozen lit cnadles as he cuts a few lines with a razor blade in the gloom.... perfect. From the other Robbins, I got a gorgeous scarf, more parts for my fire costume, and a jangly armlet/anklet made with some exotic hollow nut things.

I got a rice steamer, and a box with a place for photos on the cover from my grandparents. Technically, the rice steamer is for me and Joel. I got two Terry Pratchett books... <The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents</i> from Julie and Steve, and <i> Nanny Ogg's cookbook</i> from Joel. Joel's mom also gave me a pair of plaid sleeping pants. As usual, Hazel and I shared many common gifts, but all nice, like the monnogramed towel and tapered hair towel from mom, and the fleece socks and oven mits from 'The bees' (I thought I just killed all those buggers).

I'm sure I must be leaving stuff out.

Some of you may have herd that I was sick over Christmas. This was ture, sadly. It started after I went to bed, around 11:30 or so, at Joel's place. I have no idea where it came from... No one else who ate at mom's was ill, so it couldn't have been in the food. It is possible it had just be lurking in my system for a while and tooks its sweet time coming out, at the most inconvenient time. So the night of Christmas eve, I got very little sleep, and when I was driven home around 8:30 the next morning, I was still ill, and went directly back to sleep, since no one else was up in the house. Generally, I'd have bounded into hazel's room to make her open her stocking. My illness, I fear, caused everyone here to have a slightly more subdued Christmas morning. Still, It was okay, I wasn't sick *during*, thankfully, and went back to sleep dirtectly after the unwrapping of gifts. Then I sleppt most of yersterdayt, except for a couple hours where I was feeling slightly better and ICed with Hazel and C before needing more sleep. I slept until about 4 AM this morning when my back started hurting from having been lying down too damned long. I moveed around, and got back to sleep, for a few more ours, and had to get up and move about around 6 because of my back. I read more of <i>The Pyrates</i> and had some pistachio pudding I found in the fridge. I stayed down fine, and by then (and still now) I am just lightheaded from not having any food for two days (or at least none that has stayed in my system). I've now had some chicken and rice soup, and am considering seconds. I'm not tied, but still sort of out of it, probably partly from sleepign so much, leftover illness, and the lack of nutrition and water.

All in all, though, I'm able to look past that little morsel of hell, and say that I had a good Christmas, and it could have been worse by far, although I'd wished I could have been well enough to do more visiting yesterday, and have dinner wither at my love's house, or hang out with more friends at the Fishers. There is always today, I suppose, and tomorrow, and so on, until everyone leaves again. I think I'm going to have some more soup and read some more, now.