OK. I know my office area may look a bit messy, but you have to consider that I just spent two full days (well, two half-days really) cleaning these bookshelves out, vacuuming all the dust on the tops of the books and shelves, throwing out two huge trash bags full of stuff I no longer needed, and reorganizing it all to come to this point, above, where, to me, it feels very organized and neat.



You do have to take into consideration that it was utterly horrid just a couple of days before this. Really.

I moved all the books that I hope to open and read in the foreseeable future down to shelves near my eye-level so I can glance up at them while I'm working and plan the day when they will actually get read. I have a huge library of Anthony Trolloppe books up there and have only read maybe two or three of them so far.

Please forgive me the wall colour. We painted this room yellow a long time ago in a fit of crazed delusion, thinking it would make for a happier room. I've hated this colour ever since. And the little sunflower border along the knee wall was a particularly nasty bit of design. But to re-paint this room would be such a massive undertaking, considering it's loaded with stuff, that for now the yellow just has to be endured. Sorry.

But on a lighter note, how do you like my mousepad?



Yes, that's my honey - I used a photo of him selling his lobsters at the Farmer's Market to put on a mousepad. I know the cool youngsters of today probably don't even use the old fashioned mouses (mice?), but I'm still back there in prehistoric times and prefer it.

I am ready for Christmas. Even though it's not a holiday I really celebrate in my own mind, I do it for others and I am ready now. Most things are wrapped and tagged. My Christmas tree, that I keep all decorated and stored in a plastic bag in the basement all year, has been up and brightly lit since last weekend. The single candle lights are in the 4 front windows. And I have most of my food all bought for Christmas Eve when the folks are due here for a little supper/pressie/visit get-together. We are going to order pizzas and bring them here. I will be making jumbo shrimps and homemade shrimp cocktail sauce as well and a big salad of some sort. I may do cupcakes too, haven't quite decided yet. Maybe pumpkin cupcakes.

We are having rather nasty weather here (rain/wind) but it isn't nearly as nasty as out in the mid section of the country where I hear they are buried in snow. Not good. England has been buried in snow, as well, and it just seems so odd that we haven't had nary a flake of that stuff this season yet. I hope I haven't jinxed it now by saying that.

Well, that's all for now from Crow Cottage. Time to go down and see about dinner for dogs and then dinner for us soon.

Before I go, I wanted to ask for your prayers for Richard Holbrooke, our roving ambassador, who is in critical condition after suffering a tear of his aorta over the weekend. He's had surgery and it's touch-and-go now. I've always loved that man and I sincerely hope he pulls thru this.

Cheers and prayers,

Bex