I was really hoping for a blizzard like last year, but it moved north instead. We did get a little bit (less than an inch), but we have a wind!! Had to fight my way to the bus stop!! The bus driver saw me and waited.

DH spend Friday working, and then yesterday worked too-and worked off the clock last night. But doesn't deserve pay raise. Really feel like writing open letter to congress. His boss and several others had to be available and checking their blackeberries all through the weekend too. What a holiday. Wonder if congress was doing that? but they have to wait till the last minute to pass the changes in tax laws-of course. (sorry for the rant) And this is on top of a branch chief saying that she would have the authority to cancel leave this year. I told dh that next Christmas we are going to IL. and he should prepare his boss NOW for that. He can take his computer and work from there if need be. (last time he took it but no work-enjoyed his GD too much). Yes he will get holiday pay, but it is not the same. He is not alone in doing this I know. It is not the first time in our marriage that he has HAD to work a holiday-we were in the ARMY but we expected it then. Not as a civilian in a non-combat type job. Even in the Army-the married solidiers traded off with the singles on certan holidays-most notably Christmas and New Year so that those with families could spend time with them. So I cooked. I crocheted. He took break to spend time with me while I did laundry. (I have too many clothes!)

Despite his having to work, it was a peacefull holiday. A small arguement-and quickly resolved.

Thursday, left work at 1:30-combined lunch with 1 hour 'holiday time'-this is time granted for holiday luncheons. Stopped at bank to cash bonds and then we went to Pentagon City mall. Ate lunch an proceded to shop. Just for each other for Christmas. I bought him an oval silver box (jewelry box) for rings, etc. and had it engraved with his monogram, then cologne-Curves for men, then a page a day Suduko calendar, cufflinks (he has 1 shirt that needs them-and I had to get something for the box, didn't I?-those came with a teddy bear and a small box of Godiva chocolates. buying the bear made a contribution to a charity)Then I bought him a set of slippers that have herbal inserts that can either be heated or cooled. Since his feet are always cold, and the inserts hold the heat for two hours, and when the sample was put on my shoulders I melted-I went back to the kiosk to buy them. Added to the bought gifts was a box with yarn I had purchased, with a folder of three mens sweater (knitted) patterns) and a separate small gift of one crocheted slipper (I had not finished the 2nd). His gifts to me are a white leather banded Skagen watch, bottle of Eternity perfume, lady bug garnet necklace-man made garnet so it is more purple than red, and socks-which I am very hard on so they were very much needed. and a box of clothes that we had ordered from a woman's store-and came it a few days before. I didn't really count those since I picked them out.

DD sent us a digital frame loaded with pictures-some from her wedding. She had sent us the disc from her wedding but our computer won't read it. Yup, I have lost weight.But some of the pictures were great!! My dgd is growing up!!