The day after Thanksgiving, and my mantra is "don't even THINK about going near a store." With luck I can continue that until about a week after Christmas, when both the shopping and returning are done.

Fortunately I have established the habit of making groceries early Sunday morning. Wallyworld opens at 7, but if I get there a bit after 8 I still avoid most of the people and won't have to wait till the gas station opens at 9 to give my car its weekly meal.

Today began quite nicely with my new neighbor bringing over a plate of leftovers. This included a piece of a very yummy pecan pie. (Notice the past tense regarding the pie.)

I did mostly dumb stuff like cleaning a cat box and emptying a couple of waste baskets. Then I went to PJ's to read. When I got back I tied up the baggie in the trash can and trundled it (the trash can) up to the front. My trash man comes on Tuesdays, but the other trash people with the noisy trucks at 6 AM usually check the empty barrel up near the street. Tomorrow will be a test--if they take it, fine. If they don't, so what. It will get emptied next Tuesday. And by then it may have a companion. I'm betting on it getting emptied tomorrow.

And tomorrow looks about as exciting as today.