So it’s Little Bro’s birthday today, and I’m off to find him a card to go with his shiny new gift…

Since when did a couple inches of folded paper cost SIX DOLLARS?! Back in the day (read: maybe two years ago, maybe more) didn’t they only cost about $3? And those were the pricey, musical ones. Or the kind with the fake dollar bill inside. Jeez. Well screw Hallmark, I am going vintage and making my own cards from now on. Hope people will start re-appreciating construction paper and sparkly stickers…

Already my family has started pulling out the Christmas boxes from the storage room in our basement.

It has been a long-standing joke… er, I mean family traditionto be the first people on our block to have their festive decorations up… No, I kid. But we have always begun the decorating well before December. This year we’re actually running behind schedule because the Sister was away (and now that she is here, naturally she is still jet-lagged), and of course the decorating is a family event and therefore everyone must be involved. Even our cats play a part – they get to chase trailing garlands and chew on fuzzy decorations and climb the tree when it finally goes up.

The Sis has returned from the U.K! She is very sleepy, but I ordered Thai food so we’re going to stay up and chat while we watch the Leafs lose – er, I mean play (what the heck is up with them anyway? That one game against Ottawa must have been a figment of my imagination). Everyone’s happy to have her back, except now I will have to be a little more discreet about borrowing her clothes…