Yesterday my friend J called me up to ask me if there was anything I needed at Costco. I initially said no... and then realized it was my chance to get out of the house with a friend and not have to take my daughter.

Don't get me wrong; I love Gracie. But going somewhere without lugging her with me was a huge treat!!!

J and I arrived at Costco, and while it was busy it wasn't insane, which was a good thing. I think it helped that it was late on a Sunday afternoon, and everyone else was either watching football or finishing Christmas shopping. Even though I didn't "need" anything, I still managed to spend $65. That store is the bane of my checkbook, I'm telling ya.

Then J informed me that she needed to go to the mall to get some last-minute gifts for her kids, and it was with great trepidation that I agreed to go. Our local mall is the only one in the area, unless one wants to go all the way to Seattle, and so it gets REALLY busy during the holidays. It was a huge change for me when I moved here because in southern Virginia, I had at least five malls from which to choose when I was in a shopping mood.

Fortunately it wasn't too bad in the mall last night, probably owing to the fact that it was 6pm on a Sunday, when it's normally closed at that time. I managed to get lots more stuff I suddenly "needed," much to Kurt's dismay.

I think J wanted to take full advantage of being away from both her kids and her husband because after walking out of the mall, she suggested we go to Red Robin and have a drink and an appetizer. Not wanting to turn down the option of alcohol, I called Kurt and told him to eat without me.

I got this drink called Sand In My Shorts, which is a bunch of different kinds of liquor with cranberry and orange juices. It was actually really good. J and I were one of those annoying people who take up a booth in the lounge for over an hour when all we ordered was a drink apiece and some nachos. But I loved every minute. Lately J and I haven't really hung out together, what with her insane schedule, and my winter-induced hermitude.

When I got home, Kurt wanted to know what drink I had. I told him "Sand In My Shorts" and proceeded to describe it to him. Later he asked me again about it because HE heard me say "SanTA In My Shorts"!!! He was wondering why a dirty old elf in a red suit wanted to get into my shorts!!

I think it took me at least five minutes to start breathing again after laughing so hard.

So Christmas-wise, I am nearly done. I gave my postmistress her gift today, and I will give my postman his gift later this week. All I have left is to get J's birthday and Christmas gifts. For some reason, I have to be friends with or related to tons of people with December birthdays, and it's making me poor!!

The Christmas tree is looking quite full of gifts, and we haven't even gotten my sister's gifts or my parents' gifts. It's nice to know that so many people are thinking of us!!