I'm really looking forward to the long Holiday weekend. Dean and I will spend Christmas Eve at one sister's house, and (part of) Christmas Day at another's. There will be lots of family, my sibs and their spouses, little kids running around and tearing open presents, plates of food, hokey christmas music, and good old Mom sitting in a wingback chair with her cup of tea, taking it all in. Even though most of my sibs and their spouses are hard-core Catholics and/or Republicans (I know, really!), all of our differences seem to fade to the background this time of year. We eat, we laugh, we carry on, we watch football, we play Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit; and they all treat Dean like he is part of the family.

But I also look forward to having some time to myself, and time where just Dean and I can do something together. High on my list this year: to see "Dreamgirls." Christmas Day afternoon is the best time to go to the movies, because the theaters are mostly empty: no lines, your choice of seats, great parking.

Because we were away most of December, we didn't have a chance to get a tree. It's a little weird, not having one. The living room seems a little empty. We have this box full of ornaments, including a new one from the Hawaii trip, and nowhere to hang them. Dean is away at work today. I may have to surprise him with something before he gets home. Hmmmm . . . .