Tonight I was spared the indignity of proving I don't fully understand logarithms. The professor left the quiz on the copier at his day job. Huzzah! I'm sure it would have been bad for my grade point average. Now all I have to do is remember everything I've done in the last 17 weeks and spew it out onto the final next Thursday. After which I plan to open the bottle of Bailey's that was purchased especially for the occasion. I had to buy small brandy snifters just to have something appropriate to drink it from. I haven't got much in the way of barware since I rarely drink at home. But I refuse to have a celebratory drink out of a juice glass with cows on it, and boy will I deserve a celebration. I'm so thrilled to finally be completing my last pre-college requirement. I only wish it were the last time I'll ever have to use my calculator.
That's right, it's not my last math class. I have discovered that I really will need to take Statistics in order to graduate. I've accepted this with calm resignation, but I'm putting it off until the summer semester. I need a break, and besides, it's not offered at night next term. I look forward to having the math and science stuff out of the way forever.
Meanwhile, the holiday season is in high gear. Friday night I'm meeting Michael at Borrone's. Saturday I have about four engagements plus we're going to get our tree. Sunday I'm getting together with Shelly in the city. Monday night is the annual office holiday dinner. Tuesday is the review session before the final. Wednesday night I have to go Christmas shopping; I'm about half done but some of the items must be mailed out next week to arrive in time. Thursday night is you know what. Friday night I think I'll collapse from sheer nerves. And Saturday the Mighty Kymm arrives to enliven my household for a couple of nights.
I'm giving a small tea party for her which means unpacking the teapots and a few cups from my vast collection. Nothing matches for the most part, but I like the cottage charm of mixed patterns. I plan to serve tea, cookies, and champagne. In preparation I bought a cookie press at Williams-Sonoma. I haven't had one since I was a kid! It's the coolest gizmo. W-S is one of my favorite places to window shop during the holidays. Okay, year round, but especially at the holidays. I love their mulled spiced apple juice. I always stop by at the mall and get a cupful to drink as I wander through the store planning the kitchen of my dreams.
They don't have good glassware, though. Pottery Barn has a set of cordial glasses that I truly lust after. The glass is opaline, if that's the word I want, in six sheer, gleaming shades. Beautiful stuff. I can't stay out of their stores, either. I love to shop there. Of course, I've only ever bought two things at a Pottery Barn. I hate paying their prices.
My kind of shopping is a masterpiece of delayed gratification. The perverse pleasure is in looking at all that stuff and then convincing myself it's really not quite what I had in mind rather than making myself feel bad by admitting I can't afford it. I get the fun of scouting out neat stuff without the pain of credit card bills or a crabby feeling from being deprived. I've got my routines at each mall all worked out.
I'm such a mall rat at heart, aren't I? I know you're not surprised.
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Border graphic by Jade Leaves Designs in memory of Ginkgo