iLike

-The new red Starbucks mug my best friend Lisa gave me as an early Xmas gift. I have a "thing" for red mugs and I've got a nice collection going. There's just something so happy-making about having my daily tea in a nice red mug. It's comforting.

-The box the mug came in. It's also very pretty-love the tree and the birds. I am going to store art stuff in it.

-Spending the points I've accumulated from shopping at various stores to get free passes to the movie theatre, complete with drinks and popcorn. I've order several to be used between Xmas and New Year's, as is our family tradition. Free is always good!

-The anticipation I feel building to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games. I am going to another special event this week and then I pick up my uniform and have my accreditation (official identification) made on the 22nd. I think it's finally going to feel real when I try on that uniform!



-John Legend's cover of "Redemption Song" on the Starbucks (RED) Xmas album. I've always loved Bob Marley and this version is great!


-Simplifying. I unsubbed from a ton of email lists/newsletters and I have to tell you, it's freeing not to have a ton of random advertising clogging up my in box every day. Each time I come across something I can do without, I unsub. Sometimes less is more.

-Having a stack of books on my bedside table waiting to be read. The current pile includes: The Time of My Life which is Patrick Swayze's biography, A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor, Firstlight: The early Inspiration Writings of Sue Monk Kidd and Under the Dome by Stephen King. The King novel is a doorstop-it's over 1000 pages and the library has only given me 2 weeks to read it. You'd think that common sense would prevail with books of this magnitude and they would give you at least 3 weeks to complete it, but no. I am going to have to make haste if I want to avoid an overdue fine.

-Denis Leary's "Merry F*cking Christmas" is on tonight. Yes, I am watching it. Again. It makes me laugh. It may put me on the "naughty" list, but I don't care. If you can't poke fun at this over commercialized holiday, then what's the point? And you thought I was such a nice girl! *evil grin*



-Making homemade granola. I just whipped up a batch and the house smells yummy! I make it every now and again and it's the best granola ever. It's so quick and easy. If you want some fabulous recipes then get the Make A Mix Cookery cookbook. It's a staple in my cookbook collection. You can find recipes for seasonings, muffins, bread, soups, cookies and just about anything you can think of that you'd want to make from scratch.

-The 12 Days of Xmas exchange. It's so much fun to have goodies arriving by mail from dear friends and then opening them one by one, right up till Xmas Eve. You're invited to follow along-just click the link. Currently we're sharing photos of our wrapped gifts in the Parade of Presents. We begin opening and posting photos of our unwrapped gifts on Dec. 12th! Only 7 more days!!