Bob picked out a really pretty tree this year. I don't think he's ever done that by himself--I usually get them myself, or we've gone together a few times. I think from here on in I'll let him do it, though--I think this is the nicest one we've had for a long time.

Sturdy, too, so if Dinah climbs it, it shouldn't break. I don't think she has, though (fingers crossed). I think she may have the first night, before it was decorated, but she's stayed out of it since then, as far as I can tell. Pye's been messing with it a little, batting at the low hanging ornaments, but they've both been really good about it so far. Maybe it's maturity . . .

Of course, she is chewing through the fishing line holding it to the wall, so maybe she has a plan.

All I really needed to do today was get a large gift bag for one of Bob's mother's gifts. Barb and I looked briefly yesterday, but didn't find one, and Bob said he didn't think it was necessary, anyway, but I hate to give people gifts without wrapping them, so I wanted to do that.

But I thought I might as well have some fun, too (if shopping on Christmas Eve can be fun), and wandered around the bookstore for awhile, and bought a couple of paperbacks to save for our next vacation.

After I stopped at a Hallmark store and found that I could buy a large gift bag there, if I wanted to pay $6.00 for it, I remembered the Westlake hardware store near our house, and tried there, and found one for, I think, about a dollar and a half. And it's fine, easily the same quality as the Hallmark product, and larger, too.

I never think to go to the hardware store unless I actually need some hardware, like having a key made or buying a light fixture or something, but every time I go in there I see other kinds of things there. I need to remember that I can buy lightbulbs and trashbags there cheaper than at the grocery store, and they have Christmas lights and wrapping paper and humidifier supplies . . .

And the best part is that there is never anyone there. If I had gone to Target, say, to get the bag, I'd probably still be in line.

Bob just went out to get a bottle of tequila so I can have Margaritas tonight when we get home and open gifts--he was afraid the liquor stores would close early tonight, although I'm betting they don't.

I'm going to go up and take a shower and get dressed, then we're heading over to Bob's folks' house to do Christmas there, then we'll come home, build a fire, and have cold, spiced shrimp and Margaritas and have our own Christmas here. Tomorrow we'll be at my parents' house, then he'll go out to John's and I'll go to Misty's to have Christmas with her cats.