Ten Things Tuesday *Edited*

Ten Great Gifts.

Here are ten things that were given – and received – at the Chili household this holiday.

*NOTE – WordPress is having problems with their image uploader this morning, so I supplied links where I thought they would matter.  Come back later for pretty pictures.*

1.  Mr. Chili gave me this gorgeous dragonfly pendant.  He also gave me matching earrings, but I decided that to wear them both at the same time is a bit much.

2.  I gave Mr. Chili this Canon camera.  He’s having fun learning to use it and is looking forward to hanging with Gerry and talking (Photo) shop (sorry; couldn’t resist).  Seriously?  If you need cameras or camera accessories, get them from here, and here’s why;  I ordered this thing on the 22nd.  I clicked on the expensive, get-it-to-me-fast shipping and a little window popped up telling me that even though I was willing to drop the big bucks on the shipping, they couldn’t promise it would get to me in time to get it under the tree.  I figured the worst that would happen is that I would print out a picture of the camera and wrap that, so I chose the free, get-it-to-me-sometime-this-year shipping.  The camera arrived at 11:30 on the morning of the 24th.  I cannot tell you how thrilled I was, and I called the company to tell them so.  That’s quality customer service right there.

3.  Punkin’ Pie found a purple iPod Nano under the tree.  We wrapped it in a GINORMOUS box; she thought it was a Barbie car.  Imagine her disappointment!

4.  Bean received a Nintendo DS2 and is positively delighted with it.  We complemented the toy with two games – The Tale of Despereaux, which is an adventure game, and Brain Age, which has all kinds of fun thinking games on it.

5.  My sister received a wifi printer/scanner/copier for Christmas.  It seemed only fair, as she got me a printer for Christmas last year (or was it the year before?) and besides, I want to be more supportive of her studies in college.

6.  Auntie gifted me with the complete set of Band of Brothers.  Mr. Chili and I made a point of seeing every episode in order when they first aired on t.v., and I stop on them every time I’m channel surfing while folding laundry (which I do in front of the t.v. because folding laundry is perhaps the single most mind-numbing household chore I do.  I don’t mind it so much in front of the t.v.).  Mr. Chili and I started watching again last night.  Goddess, but it’s a really well done series.  The people who made it really cared that they get it right.

7.  Bruder presented me with two more seasons of The West Wing!  I believe it is true that he is responsible for every single season I own (which are one, two, four and five – for some reason, he couldn’t find season three this year).  I also believe it is true that I’ve seen every episode of this show and, in a few more Christmases, I will be able to see every episode again whenever I wish!

8.  Gerry and Honey sent me two gorgeous flower prints.  You can see them on Gerry’s flickr page here and here (and look around while you’re over there; Gerry’s got some kind of magic with a camera).  The morning glories have long been a favorite of mine, and I can’t wait to get these framed and hung where I get to see them every day.

9.  Kizz presented Auntie and me with matted photographs of us together.  I’m not in the habit of posting pictures of our faces terribly often, but this is a really great picture, so I’m giving you the link here.  We are some fierce bitches.  *Edited to say; Kizz has these pictures password protected, so this link doesn’t work.  I’ve posted it as a password protected post immediately above this one.  Email me at mrschili at comcast dot net and, if I know you, I’ll send you the password.*

10.  You can roll your eyes and call me sentimental if you want, but the best present we received this year is the gifts of friendship and togetherness.  I made – and kept – some really wonderful friends this year.  Bruder came up from Alabama to spend the holidays with us.  Auntie came and stayed all day at Christmas.  Meadmaker and his wife joined us for the holiday.  My in-laws behaved themselves.  We were invited to O’Mama’s latke party, and we’ll be going to visit her and the girls this afternoon.  The Bowyers are coming to share dinner with us tonight on their first full day home from Florida.  My blog friends email and text and generally offer up matter-of-fact fellowship that makes my life that much more rich.  My life is full of astounding love, and I am grateful for it every single day.