words today: 1333
words total: 17,357

Good day, pets! Happy Aprés Thanksgiving! We had a pretty good day. I still had a headache when I woke up, which was extremely annoying, because it meant I didn’t get up nearly as early as I planned, and didn’t have the time nor the non-painful brain cells for writing. Ah well. We got to Meg & Matt’s, made Caesar salad, and gorged, with 12 adults and 5 children, on the usual Thanksgiving fare. Most folks left afterwards, which was unusual for the Homeless Waifs Party, leaving just Meg & Matt, Ken & I, Meredith, and Colin. We played Kill Dr Lucky and Fluxx, and all ended up in bed fairly early. I would’ve written, but I would’ve kept Ken away (and people were sleeping in public areas), so I just read for a bit and crashed.

My headache slowly dribbled away this morning, finally. We absconded with Meredith and Colin and took them with us to meet up with Morgana, Brian, and Tomi to tour The Gamble House, a famous Craftsman in Pasadena owned by the Gamble of Proctor & Gamble, and designed and built by Green & Green. We bought our tickets, perused the extensive book- and giftshop, and went out for brunch before the house opened.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. This is what astonishing amounts of money can do for you. Although it was a more Asian-influenced Arts & Crafts style, which isn’t really to my taste, there were so many incredible details. I want a breakfast nook/porch. And a kitchen that size. And sleeping porches. And secret doorways (actually, Ken already has plans for at least one…) And and and…

Ahem. We didn’t buy toooo many books. One on Arts & Crafts homes across America, to use when we’re on our rambly travels. An issue of Style 1900, which we will most likely subscribe to. (Morgana and I are coordinating what books and magazines we get, because we can so easily share. We say it means we each buy half as much stuff. Ken and Brian are not buying that theory, for some reason.) A flyer on a walking tour of other Arts & Crafts houses in the area (‘though we decided to take the tour on another time). And, perhaps most excitingly, a period acorn-and-oak-leaf stencil for the living room and dining room, after we strip the wood.

Oh, and right before brunch, we found a Lush shop. I’ve heard about their products, especially their bath bombs, and have been dying to try them. But I’m picky about smells, and thus ordering online was not an option. I ended up with three bath bombs—two different rose-scented and one lavender scented (I’m branching out—shocking!)—and two Yule gifts.

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So now Meg and Meredith are off maternity-clothes shopping for Meg, Ken and Colin have gone to Home Depot so Ken can do some home repairs here, and Matt is in the garage playing with alpaca wool (he owns multiple alpacas). I told Julian (who’s 5 1/2) that since I was semi-in-charge because I was the only adult in the house, that she was not to injure herself, set herself or anything else on fire, or blow up the dog. She was cool with that. This babysitting stuff is a snap, I tell you.

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Not a bad wordcount for a holiday. I wrote a really good scene, if I do say so myself. Now, I’m off to be social again!