So I came back to the real world and I stopped posting. My apologies.

Chicago is, well, wintery. It was wintery when I got off the plane last Friday, much to my chagrin. But I suppose as there's nothing I can actually do about it, I should not complain. In fact, as of this moment, I resolve to complain about the weather less. I would say I won't complain at all, but I know that won't happen, because winter and I....we don't get along so well.

One night recently I came home to see a possum in our driveway. It got scared by my headlights (which are so ominous and menacing), so it started running for shelter.....unfortunately the only shelter it could find was behind our garbage cans. He looked so terrified and anxious to find a hiding spot....I almost felt sorry for the little guy. This is a huge shift from my last encounter with a possum, in which it was on the front porch and I had to call my roommates to chase it away so that I could get in the house. Note, I did say I almost felt sorry for it. Not quite.

So I am becoming increasingly alarmed that I have not even begun my Christmas shopping. Apparently I was supposed to have started a few weeks ago....according to every store in the greater Naperville area and the city of Yorkville, which already has Christmas decorations adorning their street lamps. It looks quite festive but is beginning to freak me out. JoniKay already has her shopping done. While I find this a bit absurd (she has already begun the wrapping process--who wraps Christmas presents before Thanksgiving?), I must admit that I am a bit jealous. At this stage I don't even have any idea what is on the Christmas lists of those for whom I am buying. (That was kind of an awkward sentence...but you get the idea.) Who decided that we needed to start focusing on Christmas the day after Halloween? Poor Thanksgiving....it gets lost in all the hustle and bustle....

Here's to Thanksgiving--a glorious day involving the consumption of entirely too much food, none of which you get to eat on a typical basis. I love turkey. One week from today, I expect to be enjoying turkey in the company of my family. Here's to the absence of chaos....for once. (I have the greatest Thanksgiving story of all time.....it involves my aunt, a pumpkin pie, and a fiasco....I'll save it for later.)

I have a new cell phone number..... in case I missed you on my email list, my new number is 630.340.1891. Guess I'm officially a "local" now.

And if you think of, please feel bad for Shelley. She has been sick for almost a week now, and she keeps asking us to feel bad for her. Her grace period with me has ended, but if you think of it, let her know that you feel bad for her.