Hectic holidays

Things have been hopping around the Shiflett-Hall abode. Jay has been working doubly-hard to land some lucrative deals (we have some big travel plans for next year) and I've been writing a review that is due to the publisher in early January. And, of course, it's the holidays! I try to manage our holidays with a spreadsheet. I've been keeping a Christmas spreadsheet since 2004, and I find it's the best way to keep up with addresses and gift lists. I know exactly what everyone got last year, so that great gift idea doesn't get sent out two years in a row. This year Jay helped me do a mail-merge with Excel and Word, and I printed out all our Christmas card envelopes. We've managed to purchase, wrap, and ship all our gifts out, send out our Christmas cards (with pictures), and last weekend we hosted a holiday get-together at our place! It was a lot of fun, and this weekend marks our relaxing weekend. My friend Jenny and I are hitting up the spa, and that evening Jay and I are attending the ballet. I will of course have pictures! Today's picture is a poor exhausted cat, who has been expending a tremendous amount of effort to help us wrap gifts and address cards. She has been endlessly patient (except for the whining) while I ignore her to take care of all the extra things that I've needed to get done. She, for one, is especially glad to have her humans back to doing what they should do - pet and love her! Just look how lonely she is, napping in the sunshine in her recliner, no one there to give her any attention...