Christmas and After

Christmas was good, but not the same without Peewee and Grandma. In the morning we opened presents (see below for my favorites), then Amy and Cheri came over in the afternoon for dinner. I forced Cheri to take the career test I made, because she's having a quarter-life crisis. Then Amy and I came up with career ideas. I'm sure it was life-changing. We had a lot of fun and wine and Amy collapsed on the floor a lot (although she made sure to tell me it was because of the laughing, not the wine).

Today my mom and I drove through Biltmore Forest, the neighborhood in Asheville where Andie MacDowell lives. I was hoping we'd run into her so I could ask her why she hasn't made a good movie since Multiplicity (hahaha), and so I could tell her we saw her when she was in England filming Crush, aka, I can't believe how awful this movie is. We're practically friends. Then we went downtown in search of boots, because I've been jonesin' for some western boots. Turns out good ones are like $400. Where do cowboys get that kind of money? Later my mom showed me the Grove Park Inn, because I gave them a GPI gift certificate for Christmas, but had never seen the place. It's a beautiful old stone lodge up on a hill overlooking the city and the mountains.



Harvey in the Christmas tent.


Charlie in the Christmas tent.


Cheri taking her career test (with a Hooters pen—it was a good test).




The Grove Park Inn


These are my favorite gifts:


From my mom—a lotion applicator. Now I can throw away my sunscreen paint roller.


From my grandma—a fork and spoon cat sculpture. This completes my collection.


The pièce de résistance from my grandma—a winter car kit, including:
1 half-eaten bag of granola bars
1 pair of gloves
1 mini bottle of wine, in case I can't wait until I get home to have a drink after work, or in case I get stuck in a snow bank and need something to calm m'nerves
1 porta john
2 packs of gum in case I get stuck in a snow bank and don't want the paramedics to find me with bad breath
5 packs of Kleenex, to be used as Kleenex or in conjunction with the porta john, I'm not sure which
1 compass
1 tiny pencil to write "Help me" when I'm stuck in a snow bank
1 pack of hand warmers