Today I got my first-ever email from my god-daughter V. First thing in the morning, though, D almost woke me up as a lay in that hazy state of wakefulness when you know you don't have to get up yet, and can fall back asleep. Instead we spoke and she offered the needed suggestion/solution for what will be my sister K's true gift (and D will get the one I mentioned previously).

After gradually threatening and growing gray all afternoon, a light and now steady rain is falling across the Bay Area. These meteorological turn made it easy for me to postpone my plans for a visit up to the City, or even to Stanford for a film. Instead I stayed in, "lounging". After a while I began cleaning horizontal surfaces like tabletops. In the bathroom and kitchen, the floors now gleam. Ventured out and successfully acquired more Xmas gifts, this time at "Pep Boys". Later, early evening, a visit to "Cost Plus" <1> for stylish, inexpensive imported wrapping papers.

Stray phrase of the day (I think I picked it up from "This American Life"):