We're at The Other House preparing to leave earlier than expected for Charlottesville - there's an ice storm in the making, apparently, replacing the snow for which we had planned. We're spending the holiday in Virginia because the Boy Wonder has been terribly concerned that Santa won't be able to find us because it's too close to Christmas to be in a new house. Seeing his point completely, we've planned a pre-Christmas week of parties, gingerbread house decorating, cookie baking and carol singing.

I am all kinds of happy because for the first time in months I feel like everything is under control. There was an excellent meeting this morning which brought potentially very good news for the project I'm working on (and enjoying tremendously), work on The Other House is actually progressing much smoother than I had initially thought and my Christmas packages have been mailed. What more can a girl ask for?

So let the ice come. This time tomorrow there'll be a fire burning and I'll be curled up with the cat at my side, tea in hand and reading white papers and drawing process maps while the kids cut snowflakes out of printer paper. Not quite Norman Rockwellian, perhaps, but close enough for me.