Saturday in the First World

Alex and Vivian met me for dinner tonight at Jason's Deli and we had a nice visit, as always. Vivian was more interested in goofing around than in eating dinner, but that was fine with me because it's so much fun to hear her laugh. She's changing so fast now - wearing her Big Girl Pants and repeating everything she hears in complete sentences.

I've been having a week of pleasant expenditures. I

cashed in my Christmas gift certificate for a car detail today and ordered my Boston outerwear early in the week. I am anticipating the need for rubber wellies and a real winter coat for next fall/winter because Boston has a climate completely different from Oklahoma. You can manage for years in Oklahoma without any kind of waterproof footwear, and rare is the week even in the dead of winter when there is not at least one day over 50 degrees. I knew I'd need better gear, and I figured I could score a better deal ordering at the end of the winter sales season than I would waiting until I am in dire need. They arrived yesterday, and I think I will be able to walk around Boston in winter without freezing off any important part of my body.

I've also been knitting up some warm cozies for myself, partly just for the fun of it , and partly because I know I will need a few more warm garments for next year. So far I have only one pair of socks completed. I also knit a pair of mitts and a hat to match is on the needles. Jennifer treated me to some fingering weight alpaca/merino for Christmas and I've almost got it all knit up. Pictures will have to wait until it's all complete. The mitts went fast, but fingering weight on size 1 needles makes for a rather slow hat.

Like everyone else, I've been following the heartrending events in Haiti. My contribution went to Doctors Without Borders because they were already there for another mission and therefore in a position to put the money to work quickly, but I hope you will send what you can to any organization you feel comfortable with. While we sit here comfortably in our cozy homes worrying about our hairdos and digital toys lots of people in the world are doing without basic needs.