a post of random thoughts

Sorry internet. I'm sure you are out there & I'm really just not.

I've had a lot of ideas for posts, but have not been able to flesh them out. Ok, maybe it would be more effective if I sat down & tried, but I have not been very good about that either.

Honestly, I'm having a very slacker month. It is beyond the middle of December, I haven't sent my Christmas cards. I haven't finished my Christmas cards. There is no tree in my house and when everything came out of the kiln, I think I'm still short on presents. It looks like I'll have to actually buy some.

In my defense, my husband is chairman of the Centre Park Christmas House Tour committee, and that means the end of November & beginning of December were an awful lot of work. Add to that the finishing of the Centre Park headquarters (that needed to be done before the tour) and I got sucked into a lot of the work. Not sure why it worked out that way, but it did. And last weekend the weather was too crappy to accomplish much of anything. Except some napping and a little partying. And a lovely Christmas concert with the The Girl's high school choir. Now on to important holiday thoughts.

I made a pledge to myself that I would not step foot into the mall this holiday season. Thus far I have been successful with a few small allowances. While I have not entered a "MALL," I did visit the stores across from it that are kind of in a strip mall type thing. I have decided that doesn't count, after all I needed to hit Borders & AC Moore. I just did.

I have made many presents this year. I have made all sorts of pottery items, perhaps I'll line them up & take a picture. (Really, I should, but don't hold your breath for that) I have completed one scarf and am about halfway through another. (I need to check out more movies so that I can sit and complete the other one!) (ooh, I just looked at my library account and I have 3 that are ready for pick up today! yay!)

I have visited alternative shopping locations. I bought presents from GoggleWorks and The Reading Public Museum. I've done a small amount of online shopping (Ok, I still like getting the boxes even if I know it's not for me) I hit the bookstore that isn't in the mall. I even went into Office Max for something. I'm most excited that I was able to make some nice presents for my family & friends. I hope they like them! I like the idea of buying gifts from the non-profit sector. I like that my purchases help them and I find unique gift items. I'm also planning to check out some of the boutiques in West Reading since it is a nice day and I am still looking for an item for The Girl.

Tomorrow's shopping adventure will take me to Philadelphia. Our currently planned activities include a visit to IKEA, which is almost as big as a mall, but has the organizers I want cheap. We'll also be visiting a guitar store or 2 looking for accessories for The Boy's new guitar. But the stop I'm looking forward to is here. OK, I'm becoming a little bit of a geek about this stuff, but it keeps me out of trouble!

So if anyone has any great gift ideas for a 15 1/2 year-old girl or her 18 year-old brother (who turns 19 at the end of the month so I also neeed to find a birthday present for) let me know!

I'll try to stop in a little more often, 'kay?