2:29 p.m. I tried to embrace the snow today. I decided I should begin my xmas shopping by supporting the downtown stores.

Walking along the fresh snow I told myself: see, snow's not so bad, eh?

Who the hell am I kidding?

My so-called shopping didn't last long. A quick stop in the dollar store for some gift wrap and a stop at William's was about as far downtown as I got. I turned around and whored it out to Fairview Park Mall.

I only lasted an hour. I had a mission: find my aunt a yoga mat. Find something for the others on my list. This proved tougher than I anticipated.
Particularly, my mom. I have absolutely no idea what to get her.

I found a cute pink shirt and pink belt for Ames. I picked up some things to put into stockings for mom and auntie.

An hour and a half in the mall was all I could tolerate.

Most people I know, among friends, still receive stockings at xmas. I did up untill a few years ago. I remember waking up, excited, and walking into my gram's livingroom only to discover my green stocking (one which I had since I could barely walk) was not there. There was one for grams and gramps.

Mom told me I was too old to have a stocking. Ultimately, I think, she thought it was too expensive for me to have a stocking.

I was devestated.

So this year I'm making up a stocking for moms and auntie. I want to show them how fun and exciting it is to have a stocking at any age. Then, maybe, next year our stocking tradition will return. As it should...

n@s