Books I received for Christmas

I received several books for Christmas. Here they are!

From Steph:

Four to Score, Janet Evanovich


How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read, Pierre Bayard


Death Drop, Alina Adams


In Deep Waters, Volume One: Cruising the Seas, by Karin Kallmaker and Radclyffe


Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2007, ed. Nicole Foster


Coach's Manual: Choreography and Style for Skaters, by Ricky Harris (I have the companion volume for skaters already)


Conditioning for Figure Skating, by Carl M. Poe (I've wanted this book forever)


The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Skating, by Robert G. Price


From my mom:

Mr. Pig and Sonny Too, by Lillian Hoban (in the first story, Mr. Pig goes skating, with hilarious consequences)


American Band: Music, Dreams, and Coming of Age in the Heartland, by Kristen Laine (features the Concord High School Marching Minutemen, one of the bands we competed against when I was in the Trojan Guard)


From Steph's mom:

Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook, by Debbie Stoller (I still want to learn to knit)

Holiday season in review

We've had a busy holiday season this year (as usual). Over Thanksgiving, we drove to Iowa to visit Steph's dad's side of the family, which was great fun. We attended several Christmas parties, hosted one, and went to four family Christmases (well, Steph only went to two). Steph got pleurisy again and had to stay home on Christmas. I hit the after-Christmas sales with Michelle and got some good deals. We shopped yesterday and today with our Christmas gift cards, and now I have more work clothes and we both have many books to read.

For Christmas, I gave many fun gifts and received a lot as well. Some of my favorite presents include a Wheel of Fortune game, the Out on the Porch calendar, two pairs of slippers, an excellent pair of gray pants, a book on living green, and a scribe (for drawing circles on the ice so I can learn some school figures).

Merry Christmas

I'm at my dad's, blogging from the other side of the kitchen table (opposite the side where I usually sit), which seems to be the only place in the house where I can scam on the neighbors' unsecured wireless.

Steph is at home with pleurisy. I was very worried about leaving her, but she convinced me to go, saying that she'd be fine and that she'd call Dan and Doug if something happened. I miss her. And the pets.

So far, my dad and I have cooked the turkey, which is almost ready to eat, and we (mostly my dad) replaced the other taillight gasket in the Honda so my trunk won't leak. I painted the wiper arms flat black where the paint had burned away (sounds like a precious thing to do on a 13-year-old car, but the silver metal on the tops of the arms reflects into my eyes in an annoying fashion).