On the last day of the year...

Today I purchased my tickets to go to Paris this summer. It cost me $1300 ... but it already feels worth it.

Books I've Read in 2006

1. Size 12 Isn't Fat by Meg Cabot
2. Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
3. Murder on St. Mark's Place by Victoria Thompson
4. Murder at Gramercy Park by Victoria Thompson
5. Murder in Washington Square by Victoria Thompson
6. Murder on Mulberry Bend by Victoria Thompson
7. Murder on Marble Row by Victoria Thompson
8. Murder at Lenox Hill by Victoria Thompson
9. Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson
10. Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney
11. Hasty Death by Marion Chesney
12. Sick of Shadows by Marion Chesney
13. Our Lady of Pain by Marion Chesney
14. Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen
15. Death of Riley by Rhys Bowen
16. For the Love of Mike by Rhys Bowen
17. In Like Flynn by Rhys Bowen
18. Oh Danny Boy by Rhys Bowen
19. Still Life with Murder by P.B. Ryan
20. Murder in a Mill Town by P.B. Ryan
21. Death on Beacon Hill by P.B. Ryan
22. Murder on Black Friday by P.B. Ryan
23. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
24. Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie
25. Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie
26. Body Movers by Stephanie Bond
27. Northern Lights by Nora Roberts
28. River's End by Nora Roberts
29. The Witness by Sandra Brown
30. The Switch by Sandra Brown
31. Unspeakable by Sandra Brown
32. Hello, Darkness by Sandra Brown
33. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
34. Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
35. Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley
36. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
37. Do You Want to Know a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
38. Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie
39. Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
40. Nemesis by Agatha Christie
41. Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich
42. Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich
43. Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
44. The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie
45. Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark
46. The Mirror Crack'd by Agatha Christie
50. What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw by Agatha Christie
51. Inside Out by Terry Trueman
52. Acceleration by Graham McNamee
53. A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
54. Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
55. How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot
56. Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
57. The Thief's Moon by Tara Acton
58. Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare (school)
59. The Giver by Lois Lowry (school)
60. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (school)
61. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (school spring semester)
62. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (school fall semester)
63. Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals (school fall semester)
64. Murder on the North End by P.B. Ryan
65. Finding Your Mojo by Stephanie Bond
66. The Secret at Chimneys by Agatha Christie
67. The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie

Ode to Dog

“Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go,
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted snow.

Over the table and under the tree,
to the kitchen trash she goes;
the dog knows the way
to ruin the day
her destruction grows and grows.

Over the trash can and through the house,
While deepening my woes
Knocking o’er the tree
And barking at me
As out of the house she goes.

Putting up the Tree '06

Dad: Kids! Supper's ready!
Mom: After we eat, I want Brennan and Nathan to bring in the Christmas tree from the garage.
Brennan: No.
Mom: Why not? Remember, it's already set up with the lights and tinsel on it.
Tara: Already set up? Don't you mean "never taken apart after last year."
Mom: Semantics. Whatever.
Brennan: No.
Mom: Why not?
Brennan: Because we don't want to.
Nathan: I don't mind.
Brennan: Shut up, Nathan.
Nathan: Okay.
Me: I'll do your dishes, Brennan, if you bring in the tree.
Brennan: Why don't you bring in the tree?
Me: Because I don't want to.
Mom: She can't bring in the tree. She won't be able to.
Me: Excuse me? I happen to be--
Tara: Freakishly strong?
Me: Exactly. [Turning to Mom] I'm very strong, Mom. I could TOTALLY bring in that tree.
Mom: You're too short.
Me: Too short?!? Didn't you bring that tree out to the garage last year? And you're, what, three quarters of an inch taller than I am?
Mom: Well, I brought it out, but it was very awkward. It would be worse for you because I'm taller than you are.
Me: Excuse me? It would be EASIER for me because I am waaay stronger than you. You're the biggest weakling that ever lived.
Mom: Well, that's true, but I don't want you to do it.
Me: [offended] Somebody help me out here. Tara, I could totally bring that tree in, couldn't I?
Tara: [all for sister solidarity] Totally. Mom, Erica' WAAAY stronger than you.
Mom: Don't care. Brennan and Nathan are bringing the tree in. Go do it, boys!
[Brennan and Nathan leave to bring tree in. In the meantime, we sit in silence, me royally offended and feeling discriminated against.]
Mom [to Dad]: Say something, honey.
Dad: I told you it was stupid to put the tree away before taking it apart.
Mom: Say something else.
Dad:
Me: [all huffy and breaking my silence] Fine! But just say it: I am strong enough to bring that tree in.
Mom: You are strong enough to bring that tree in.
Me: I can tell you don't mean that. Say it again from the top and this time with feeling.
Mom:
Me: Mom!! Say it! Or you'll live to regret it. I could totally bring that tree in. And [catching a glimpse of Nathan and Brennan bringing the bottom of the tree in first] I could do it in a way that made sense. You know, so that the branches didn't get stuck in the doorway and lose all their bristle things.
Mom: Boys! Turn it around and bring the narrow end in first so that the tree doesn't loose all its branches. [Under her breath.] Idiots!
Tara: [to me] Satisfied?
Me: For now.