Three of my readers (that's, like, 60% right there!) have bugged me to update, so that means that it's been several months since I've said anything at all.

Let's sum up, then. I'm still living in sin, quite cheerfully. We've decided that we're officially grown-ups, since we bought home and car insurance (not to mention an expensive and hand-crafted diningroom set).

October was the month of job wealth, where I seemed to have been cramming for two interviews a week, all the while getting internal promotions and raises. The stress of that month may actually pay off, since I'm still in the running for some great jobs (still with the government, so don't go thinking I'm suddenly shaking my fist at The Man). I figure that my steady climb up the government ladder will fund my completely senseless pursuits, like buying a playstation and nano accessories and books about clones and irregular verbs.

Over the holiday season, I sullied my Judaism by putting up a lovely Christmas tree, and Mark sullied his nouveau-atheism by baptising a child into the Anglican church (Mark renounced all sinful desires! I've been neener-neenering at him ever since). My craft-lady street cred has gone up a couple of notches after I knit a scarf, sewed two quilted Christmas stockings, and requested Mark's grandmother's pattern for slippers. Along the same vein, I baked several types of cookies that turned out "Just like grandma's!", but managed to screw up Rice Krispie Squares.

At the beginning of December I caught a terrible flu, and Mark developed a quite impressive talent for following recipes and turning out great meals. I spent the rest of the month faking dire illnesses so that he'd keep up the meal duties (he's downstairs right now making a hearty beef stew - ain't life grand?).

The slightly-longer version of the holidays includes a trip to Montreal (Mark's parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandmother), Hamilton (my somewhat-estranged grandmother, who claims to have had no idea that I've been with this strange boy for 2 years), Mississauga (Mark's aunt, uncle, cousins, grandmother and grandfather), and London, where we stayed in a cozy B&B and Mark became a godfather.

I wish there'd been more time to spend ice skating with my Brand New Skates, but the winter has been too mild to skate anyway. I'm still half-assedly trying to find a doctor (I know, I need to use my whole ass), but I'm discouraged and cranky about the subject. I would've liked to spend more time with my Very First Christmas Tree, but it's due to come down soon. Still, we're planning to rip off its branches and turn it into a coat rack (shut up - we need a coat rack, okay?). Seeing my family in Winnipeg might've been nice, but Mark's family was typical enough that I got my fill. Plus, with my sister in England, visits suddenly seem really expensive. I wish we hadn't stopped going to the gym for the entire month of December, but that's just how it went.

January is for making up for all that stuff up there (except the visiting with my family, which will take more time and money... but I'll get around to them at some point). Isn't that what resolutions are for? We're actually planning to go to the gym in a couple of hours, so I suppose we're getting off on the right foot. Ish.

I'll leave you with the picture that my mother should never, ever see (lest she Oy! herself to death). Happy New Year, gentlereaders.

(I'm so used to it now that I didn't even point it out when I posted this, but I think some of you should know - Yes, that is a stuffed horse atop our tree. His name is Melville. What, were you expecting some freaky Christ-loving angel or something?)

Questions? Comments? Declarations of love?

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