(1) scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and hot coffee on a dank, grey day

(2) hearing a grunge cover of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" on the radio. I didn't actually care for it, but it was musically interesting and I think I caught a snatch of "Deck the Halls" somewhere in there

(3) taking a wrong exit on the drive home yesterday eve. After I stopped swearing, I was happy, because I had a great view of Nashville at night, and it's beautiful.

(4) discussing a collaboration with a friend. *starts stringing the metaphorical tennis racket*

(5) I don't have to go to a party tomorrow night. (Normally I wouldn't mind, but I've got deadlines with fangs nipping at my heels and the not-so-inner introvert is quailing at the rest of the month.)

(6) holiday scheming. And self-serve package-posting machines. And usps.com.

(7) ironing tea towels. The perfect activity for when it's too early to sleep but one's too tired to work and the house is cold.

(8) the window-fixing guy begins work on the leakiest window today. (Our house is old and some of its earlier owners made short-term choices. 'Nuff said.)

(9) a colleague came back from Japan two nights ago and brought cake to the office yesterday. It's a sort of plain, dense yellow sponge that's simple but so very good.

(10) our own souvenirs from Belfast include a carton of mulled-wine-and-cranberry fudge. I'm not a huge fan of fudge, so a little goes a long way, and a couple cubes of it were just right after last night's dinner.

(11) unexpected progress on the plotting of a story

(12) much-needed progress on filing

(13) Peter Mayer will be playing at my church this Sunday, both at morning services and at an evening concert.