I like our new executive editor, but strangely, when I tell her "this is what we're supposed to be doing now", she actually expects it to get done. Hmmm. Maybe I should stop telling her things like that.

On the homefront, work is continuing nicely on the utility room. I expect them to be done with the first phase of the project today. That's roof, ceiling, walls, windows, paint, and the new storm door. They were actually done with a lot of this stuff on the first and second days. We've had the roof since the first day, says Deb, but I haven't seen it because I'm not home during daylight hours on weekdays in this darkest of seasons. The windows are installed; the storm door is installed; the sheetrock is up.

Today the painting should be done. Deb picked a sort of pinkish color that we thought might be a midtone to the Jester Red tile that we picked out to make the pattern in the floor. The prominent tile color will be Desert Beige. Who knows when the actual tiles will come in. We also have to pick out a replacement light fixture, which in our utility room's former life was a big ass set of flourescent tubes. The floor and the light will be phase two of the project.

And speaking of having to wait for stuff you've ordered, I'm about to die waiting for Apple to change my order status from "Being Reviewed" to "Being Assembled" or even, please dear God, "Shipped". See, I talked Deb into letting me buy a laptop. Not just any laptop, but the Mac G4 Titanium Powerbook. *drool*

They estimated shipping time as 1 Day; I paid for overnight shipping. I ordered it yesterday. Other peripherals that I ordered have been shipped already. My Powerbook is still "Being Reviewed". Deb says they're trying to decide if I'm worthy of a G4 Powerbook. Please let me be worthy, please let me be worthy, please let me be worthy.

I really wanted it to play with this weekend. Sure, I've got a zillion chores and errands (and Xmas shopping) I have to do this weekend, but I'd still have more time to set up and explore my amazing new computer on a chore-filled weekend day than on a work day.

And speaking of shopping, I'm considering putting the postcards into a public online photo album and letting you guys order your own. Anybody who didn't send me an address prior to this past Monday missed out on the initial batch. I pretty much blew my postcard budget wad on the initial batch. I'd make the album public, but then I wouldn't have pre-approval on who was getting the cards. That was one of Sara's conditions for being included. Not a condition exactly. It's just that she felt more comfortable having her picture going out to online folks that I'm familiar with. I'll have to make this decision later.

I sent the card mailing on Monday, so you guys let me know when you get them. They turned out pretty cool.

Time to go home for Family Dinner Night. Yay!

Oh, one final request. For those of you who have digital cameras and a diary, take a picture of the tackiest, most decorated for the holidays house in your neighborhood and post it. I'll do the same.