trafficing with the natives
Oh my goodness. This evening I was trapped for two hours in an unholy snarl of terrible traffic created, I can only imagine, by folks trying to get to the mall to shop. And subsequently to get out of the mall. I was only going to the grocery store, but I wasn't spared for that and I've now learned my lesson: never leave the house in the week before Christmas. At least not in the direction of any conglomeration of shopping locations.
It's really a good thing we're doing a home-made Christmas this year, so I didn't have to go into the mall itself even once. And then there's the fact that, while Leah is obviously quite adept at the handicrafts, I'm quite incapable of making anything at all. That really makes for relaxing holiday preparations on my part!