Patchwork

I feel the need to ramble, so that is what I shall do.

Santa's workshop. As an elementary school student, there was nothing finer than going in with the ten dollars Mom had given me and coming out with presents for my parents and two sisters and if I was lucky enough a little something for me, too. Jelly bracelets, scented pencils and Christmas ornaments just to name a few of the delightful gifts that could be had for a little bit of nothing.

Continuing in that fine tradition, I took Bailey to the mall last Sunday so that he could pick out gifts for Daddy and Sophie. I won't spoil the surprise, but I will say that Sophie got a great gift and Daddy got, well, something I think Bailey himself wanted. I'll have to remember to take and post pictures!

After a long, hard fifteen minutes of shopping, Bailey turned to me and said, "Mommy, I need coffee!"

Learning. Every once in a while I get bit by the study bug. I tossed around the idea of taking cooking classes (too expensive) or flower arranging (too hard for someone with little to no artistic sense) and decided on Japanese class (mainly because it is free and I can choose my own schedule. Today was my first class and while all we did was chit chat, it was fun and I am looking forward to going back next week.

Partying. Tomorrow, I will teach an English Christmas lesson at Bailey's day care. There will be a visit from Santa, crafts and other various forms of madness. We had to pay 500 yen (about five dollars) to help fund a Christmas stocking filled with treats and a small toy and if nothing else, I get to spread a little Christmas cheer and that is always a good thing.

So, this is wear I should tie it up neatly and make it all pretty with a shiny, red bow but all this randomness has left me a little (more) scatterbrained and I am throwing caution to the wind (with a deliciously decadent run on sentence) and forgoing bows this year. Sometimes, it is in randomness that true gifts lie.