12/06/98

Woke up miserable with another wretched neckache, compounded by lack of caffeine and dreams of strife. I missed brunch with Peter Larsen, Spike, and Tom Becker, then a Christmas party I'd been looking forward to. Instead I took ibuprofen, two hot showers, dozed in bed, did stretching exercises, had coffee, and read the Sunday papers. I was fascinated with an article on the new mayor of Taiwan, a member of the Kuomintang party, and the lead article in the New York Times travel section which explains the airlines' frequent flyer programs and why it's so darned hard to actually use those miles. Finally, about 5 o'clock I passed from excrutiating pain to no pain at all, and leapt into action.

Well, actually, I just logged onto the various MOOs I belong to and said hello to everyone, but it was more mental action than I'd seen all day. Dixie and I went for a walk just as it got dark, and I wore my wool hat I bought in Iceland with wool gloves I bought in Ecuador. I love things like that. I always wanted to grow up to be the sort of person who buys her clothes all over the world.

This evening I've been sorting through the Christmas boxes and putting up lights. I've daringly set up a tableau on top of a small table next to a window. The cats almost never get up there even when it's bare so I'm going to chance a pretty arrangement of evergreen boughs, a big red candle, and a small twig sleigh with a funny little stuffed Santa sitting in it, drawn by two big wax cow candles. I've made reins for them out of gold ribbons. It's the ginchiest.

I've now sent out almost fifty Christmas cards. This is excellent fun. Everyone's appalled at me for getting them out immediately after Thanksgiving weekend, but hey, I was a Grinch for the last five years or so. I'm over that now. My first card this year is from the very wonderful and ever so prompt Alun Harries in London. I like getting cards almost as much as I like sending them. In fact, it's not too late to send me a Christmas card, so come on! Email me and I'll give you the address.