Black...Saturday?

Because this is Gary's first time in Spokaloo and he likes going to new cities, we went downtown today for another day of shopping, eating, and walking around the park a bit. Gary slid down the giant Radio Flyer slide, LaRue finally found the cocktail dress she was looking for, and LaRue, my mom, and I all rode on the 1909 Looff Carousel at the park. I discovered that LaRue had never ridden on a carousel before, and I feel like I have done my duty as a life partner by ensuring that she experienced it. We didn't ride on the gondola over the falls, though, because it was too damn cold.

I did the last of my Spokane shopping today, too, and found an appropriate gift-exchange-appropriate gift for my book club for $20.09. The limit was actually $20, and I would have made it under, except the stupid sales girl wouldn't give me the "4 for $10" price on this bottle of apple-scented soap unless I actually bought 4. You know how often I use girly-flavored soap, so I declined. Irregardless, at least that's taken care of, and hopefully I won't have to purchase any more hijack presents. I do not heart those kind of presents.

LaRue, Eagle and I have all agreed to have a capitalism-free holiday as well, and are going to give each other massages and possibly eat chocolate. The chocolate may call for some outlay of money, but probably not a big one. And really, I am being quite honest when I say that I would prefer hanging out, being silly, and seeing friends to getting gifts. (Even though LaRue does tend to have good taste in gifts and, in the case of emergencies, defaults to a Half Price Books gift card - something I certainly can't argue with.) My best friend from back home and I have a similar arrangement--we are going to go out to lunch and catch up instead of buying presents. And since she and I see each other about once a year, our respective gift radar probably isn't that accurate anyway.

So far, the holiday season has started off with a bang, I think. I've had a lot of fun the last few days, and got to do Christmas-y things like make cookies, sit by the fireplace, and go shopping with mom and laugh our buns off at all the psychotic/overly-stylish/fat/bitchy people running around the mall. We also got to do a lot of rational things, like going through holiday decorations and getting rid of stuff we wouldn't use anymore, or buying thoughtful but reasonable gifts for people. I have been able to restrain myself from doing anything really out-of-control gift-wise (although I have been sorely tempted on a couple of occasions). But all in all I am feeling good. I feel like we've been able to be ... un-gluttonous ... shopping-wise but still celebrate, you know? And that's a nice feeling :)

I am sad to be leaving home tomorrow, but I'll be back in a few weeks with Airbear when it's official holiday time, and I'll be glad to snuggle my honey and the kitties tomorrow. Going to go sleep off some cookies now.