It is official; I’ve actually managed to avoid ironing ANYTHING for more than a year. This fact is confirmed by the presence of my Christmas napkins hanging on a hanger, more than on the wrinkled side. Wow, how time moves along.

Since my home is also my office I was not inclined to decorate until the last of my clients had been seen. In fact, I thought I might not bother putting up the tree at all until I saw the look on my niece-the-Liberian’s face when her mother, my big sister, tried that trial balloon during my birthday lunch. Speaking of my birthday, my family bought me an ipod, 80G (go big or go home) and I am absolutely THRILLED. Secretly I had been lusting after same for a number of months, more so since I started exercising regularly and became subject to the noise of the TV while in the cardio room. Yes, the exercise club is going to go with earphone counsels on the new cardio equipment but that isn’t until MAY and I may be a basket case, a deaf one I might add, before that happens.

Now I can report my first “freeze” (I unfroze it myself) and I’ve got tons of pictures on it and around sixty songs and I’ve not even STARTED on MY stuff, just free stuff that they had at itunes. Videos, apparently, are a different kettle of fish and I’m hoping another friend, a guy who transports aluminum will help me come to terms with the mysteries of downloading video stuff. Already I’ve come across a book that I would like to download and may do that in the New Year.

The tree is up without the help of the cats as they were traumatized early in the process by my knocking over a cat candle holder, followed rapidly by the grill of the gas fire place. Run for your lives, run for you lives, worse than the killer vacuum. Every cat for itself – no rescue attempts were directed my way. They scattered and have since returned to doze in their favourite places. Like any home with youngsters, the breakable stuff is at the top; the lower layers devoted to unbreakable wooden or stuffed ornaments.

Tomorrow I “do” the dinner. My big sister has done a yeoman’s job of this for many, many years and I am pleased to step up to the plate. Every time I have a meal at her and my brother-in-law-fixer-of-all-things home I marvel at their ability to pull these things together with what seems little effort and it is always delicious.

To all who read my writing: MERRY CHRISTMAS, may there be peace and joy for you and yours.