On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

Today started out as one of THOSE days. Days when I wish I was graceful and could let things float gracefully, like water off a duck's back.

Hmm, shall we start with the 7 am awakening to clean out my car to get it ready for the new CD player? (NOT LOOKING THE GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH)

Or that the drive home from Circuit City is a straight shot down Rte. 7, so I didn't notice that MY TURN SIGNALS WEREN'T WORKING until I pulled on to my parent's street?

Luckily, Sis let me vent, as both my parents are not the allowing you to vent type. Cause, in truth, it's a pretty amazing gift.

And when I finally got the car back to CC, the guy immediately worked on my car and fixed it within twenty or so minutes.

We had lunch with my aunt and cousin at at Latin American restaurant in the District (if you're cool, that's what you call it.) I had a chimichanga which was devoid of goopy sauces--I was ever grateful! My dad for the 6,000th time tried to remind my brother that he could put "Time Person of the Year for 2006" on his resume. Have not yet seen said issue, as it was potentially stolen or lost in the mail (my sister has a subscription.)

My dad said, "Make sure you check out the mural," as I left the table to go to the ladies room. "The one in the ladies room?" I quipped. Which, I must say, had everyone rolling. It's rare that I can one-up my dad on a joke--you gotta take the opportunities when they come...

My bro got me the U2 singles CD, which now resides in my car and will take me for my first leg north. I plan to lunch in Berkeley Springs and make it to Ft. Ligonier by 4ish--I adore their shops!! I'd love to get to Ligonier by 3:30, as they have many lovely shops, but that might be pushing it...

Parting is such sweet sorrow...up til today I was thinking, get me back to Manhattan (I mean Pittsburgh) but this evening I got to bask in my parent's cable (TBS, how I love thee) and chill with the sibs. They are the coolest people I know. Truly. We all shared beers and just hung out. My sister is going to Miami for her 25th (woo hoo) birthday and so I lent her a bathing suit and for her birthday gave her a book called Washed Up (about flotsam), as a token reminder of our beach walk in South Carolina over Thanksgiving. Then I showed her my new favorite French import, I Love, and I read her excerpts from the bio I just finished reading of the first lady. I was grateful that we could just chill.

Bro got a haircut--he looks like one of the Beatles in the early (I wanna hold your hand) years. We had turkey a la king for supper and I, trying to be all suave, said, "Mother, the turkey is kingish" and it became one of those phrases passed around the table and made into an indie rock band's name, we were all howling with laughter.

After dinner, Bro gave us some after dinner music from the Godfather of Soul, the recently departed James Brown. My mother nor my aunt knew who he was until today. (Is it obvious they lived a sheltered life???) Meanwhile, at breakfast, it was revealed that my father's hometown, Hackensack, NJ, is now oft called Crackensack. But I love Hackensack, and that song...

Sunday after church I spent way too much money at the Columbia Baptist Church Bookstore. I used to volunteer there when I was a regular at Columbia five years ago, when I lived in Virginia. But some of the books I knew I wouldn't see again or be able to get via Inter-Library Loan, so...I'll do a book list later.

Currently working my way through An alphabetical life, which is about a woman's journey through bookstore jobs. As a former Fox Books employee and a current librarian, it is ambrosia to just sink into reading it. (Fox Books is a pseudonym for my former employer, taken from the movie You've Got Mail, which I may need to watch this week before the original flagship store closes in downtown Pittsburgh...)

I guess that's enough of an update...all attempts to socialize upon my return tomorrow night to da Burgh seem to have fallen through, but I shall carry on. It's a week where folks are either: out of town, visiting family, in town, visiting with family and friends, carrying on with regularly scheduled programming, or out of town. Did I mention out of town? Anyways, this time tomorrow, I'll be back in town and you know I'll be happy!! (Dancing the Snoopy dance, most likely.)

Oh, and this just in: Gerald Ford died at 93. May he rest in peace. (So we're waiting for #3: James Brown, Gerald Ford, and ______________.)