You know how the first few days of a holiday you get to say that you've done all of these wonderful, edifying, creative things with your surplus of unfettered time? All those family bonding moments with sledding and board games and reading great books and wrapping gifts while listening to festive music? Yeah, well, today was the start of Holiday, Phase II. Today was the day that I spent about four hours playing Skee-Ball and Doodle-Jump on the iPod.

Sure, I wrapped the remainder of the presents, which I'm embarrassed about now because they are so copious. I thought we were behind on things, but now I'm seeing that some people have way, way too much, and everyone as a whole has too much. We should have donated a flock of chickens in our name to everyone (the favorite gift and joke of this year).

Actually, today was kind of historically unique in that Kerry and I went out by ourselves and had lunch at Eurasia (I had what I'm pretty sure was the only potentially gluten-free offering on the menu, which was, as always, a salad) and faced the music of my Henrico County Library fines, which I've been avoiding paying because I'm so embarrassed. We originally intended to do some last-minute shopping, but in the end we did none of it. So I am still on the case of finding an inexpensive tent for Rutledge and picking up some movie tickets for Ollie. We relented and decided that yes, we will get the Red Ryder BB gun for Ollie, against our better judgment (for example, where on earth will he be able to shoot it, what with us living in the suburbs and all). So I'm breathing a sigh of relief that we are truly finished and I can spend my time on less crass pursuits than shopping. Like getting the ball into that hundred hole while the double-bonus light is flashing.