Satiety List

I think we should start a new tradition. It's always fun to read everyone's wish lists for Christmas, and it's always fun to watch other people open their presents, so I think we all should write a "receipt list" to share the joy of presents with those who weren't fortunate enough to be there (or be paying attention) when we opened them.

Several of my offspring were kind enough to feed my current obsession with monetary policy. Virgie and Brandon gave me The Case Against the Fed, and Ben gave me Secrets of the Temple, which is a lot thicker than I expected. Peter and Nancy gave me The Real World Guide to Banking and Finance. I've started reading that one first, probably because it's the shortest. It's hard going for me, because it consists of articles and essays from Dollars and Sense, the Democratic Socialist magazine. I'm sure it's good for me to read articles from a point of view towards which I am antipathetic, but I'm finding it difficult to finish the articles once they go into a socialist rant. It is working, in the sense that I wanted it to, because I am already finding that I know much more about money than I did a month ago. After I finish all three of these books, I should be able to take on barstool economists without fear!

Virgie and Brandon also gave me Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Night on Bald Mountain -- not for listening to at night when one is alone, I assure you!

Mariam contributed to my Middle East collection (already about 30 books strong) with Oil, Profits, and Peace -- another book that is most likely way more lefty than I am naturally inclined to be, but therefore a perspective widener.

Dad and Pablita gave me a cool photo keychain that supposedly holds 60 photos. Feel sorry for anyone who has to sit next to me on a plane after I figure out how to put pictures on it.

On the games front, we are now well-supplied with entertainment to while away the winter evenings: Beatnick gave me Boggle and waterproof Uno -- I mean, how many times have you had your friends over and wanted to play Uno in the jacuzzi but were afraid to get the cards wet? No more worries about that for me! The Lewises supplied me with the non-waterproof version of Uno, for everyday use. I will have to practice up so that I can stay ahead of Daryl when she comes to visit. And Mom gave me the NYTimes crossword puzzle calendar, which may already be the most-used present of the year.

Oh, and Jenny also gave me a darling knitted basket with sleep aides, including a sheep! We decided that it might help induce sleep if one had only one sheep to count: "One. One. One." Exactly like the meditation that I learned at the hospital.

There were a few other things to round out the take, making it clear that my morning mantra is really true: "I have everything I need right now. I am surrounded by love."

Thanks to my wonderful family, who spoil me rotten!

Better than SEX!?

Yesterday I finally had the opportunity to ride my Christmas present for the first time. Simon gave me a "basic" mountain bike, although the plan was that I was just going to ride it on the roads around town. No going off-road for me, thanks very much; I'm a mostly-sedentary risk-averse woman who hasn't ridden a bicycle in 26 years, give or take a few hours. But since we live on a mountain, Simon thought that perhaps a mountain bike might be the right choice.

So yesterday we went to Hurkey Creek so that I could practice riding on the paved roads around the campground. I quickly realized that although you never forget how to ride a bicycle, your leg muscles sure do! After we rode up and down just a few little hills (for a grand total of about 15 minutes), my legs were aching like billy-oh. So Simon talked me into walking the bikes up a little trail called Coyote Run. He says he honestly just meant to walk, which was very patient of him.

However, after we walked up a little way, there was a short downhill bit that seemed pretty safe, so I hopped on my bike and followed Simon down (see photo). Sheer ecstasy! I couldn't get enough after that. Although the sun was about to go down and my legs were feeling like jelly, I felt like a kid again: "Please let me ride around the block two more times, Mom, and then I'll come in!"

Suddenly I understand my husband's obsession. What a high! And how sad that I have to be away from my beautiful bike for 4 days!