...on this site, that is. I can't even stay away on Christmas Day!

I was up and at 'em very early today. Polishing my silverware, which i do every year around this time. I inherited it from my grandmother, and i figure, why put it away 364 days a year? So i enjoy them every day of the year. I decided to polish them today, Christmas Day, cus my friend H. was coming over mid-morning. I wanted to squeeze in a visit with her as i knew she was going to be home mostly alone today with just her mom. She and her daughter often clash.

So i made cranberry/walnut bars last night and had her over for a sort of post-breakfast/pre-lunch brunch, if there is such a thing. And i gave her her present, a fax machine from my old office they said i could take when i closed the office. (She had told me she needed one.)
She seemed happy with that. We chitchatted for a few hours until it was time for me to head to my mom's around noon.

But not before i got the usual phone call from an ex-boyfriend from about 25 years ago who calls on my birthday and holidays even after i asked him, first politely, then not so politely, NOT TO CALL ME. I even told him in the past i was engaged. We had a bad breakup which involved the police, which he conveniently seems to have forgotten, and I have absolutely no interest in any kind of contact with him. I don't even know how he got my phone number, about 4 or 5 years ago, after which he started calling me out of the blue as if he wants to rekindle something. (He lives in Mass., not my state.) So here i am, Christmas day, yelling at someone on the phone to stop calling me, i don't want to talk to you, etc etc and he says, gee, that's not a very nice thing to say to someone on Christmas Day...yes, i felt guilty, and yes i felt sorry for him that he's basically living in the past but for god's sakes, i can't be responsible for his life and we were history a very long time ago....So then after my friend arrived a little later, the phone rang again, and it was him again. "Mary?" he said into the phone. Apparently, he calls all his old ex-girlfriends on Christmas! I had to tell him, no, M., it's me. You dialed wrong." He semeed embarrassed and hung up. I'm sorry, but this guy is creeping me out. He just acts oblivious to anything i say. It makes me almost wonder if he might have early onset Aalzheimers (he's in his 50s now). That would explain why despite my telling him NOT to CALL that he keeps calling as if i'd never said anything, trying to have a conversation as if we're old friends or something.

We had a nice dinner and gift exchange at my mom's. My sister seemed happy with the camera we got her. I got 4 books i'd asked for, a Tupperware storage thing for cakes and one for quick breads, which i make a lot (no more tinfoil, hooray), a bunch of homegrown, organic preserves and dried herbs from my sister, two pieces of art made by my mother.

Among the books, two philosophy-type books including one by Wayne Dyer (Change your Thoughts, Change your LIfe, or something like that), one by the Dalai Lama, and one financial title called Work Less, Live More, which comes with a CD.

Just 2 more weeks of freedom before The Job begins. I'm helping my mom dismantle a gallery show with her work soon. She usually has to do it herself, and it can be a lot of work, so i help her when i can.

And i talked to my dad and K. tonight, they like the gifts i mailed, and want me to come down again while i still have free time, so will probably go down there for an overnight trip after new year's. I could go this week, but i'd like to stay off the roads as hordes will be returning gifts and using those gift cards, plus we have the biggest drinking day of the year coming up.