Quote of the Day: "I'm going to search for wontons."
What I'm reading: Just finished Water Elementals by Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson. I liked it.

Christmas Eve comes more than once a year in my house. More like, seven times-- not the Jesus Mary part, but the staying up late making things special and ready the night before part. Last night was First Day of School Eve, the saddest of all days, and so the night before is most important, packing special lunches and snacks, writing encouraging notes with pictures to amuse, setting out clothes and backpacks, and preparing for special breakfasts in the morning. All this is to help take the sting out of returning to school, but for the kids, or myself, I'm not sure. I hate it when they go to school, because I know school is hard on them, and because I like having them around. Why didn't I play Legos and Barbies with them every day this summer?

Now I'm here, lonely and tired. I've gone straight from Christmas Eve to Christmas afternoon.