Today was Carolyn’s birthday, and she decided she wanted Indian food – homemade.  I like to cook, and the girls helped.  We made onion chutney, mint chutney, tamarind sauce and samosas.  Then we had onion pickles, a cucumber raita, paneer pasanda, and curried cauliflower and black beans, with rice and naan.  Then birthday cake!  Good thing we have a dishwasher.

So while all this was going on, hubby set up laundrycam.  It watches the washer and dryer and folding table.  It’s very thrilling.

My folks came to celebrate with the kids, and a good time was had by all.  However, somewhere alonng the way, a vein in my hand spontaneously ruptured, so after mom and dad left, I headed to the emergency room, and am now trying to function with a brace immobilizing my right hand.

Here’s where we were today!

This was one happy dog.  She’s never been to the beach before, but she loved it!

The girls collected shells, which will either decorate around the new pond this spring, or get turned into jewelry.

Weather permitting, we’re thinking the beach trip should become a family tradition, along with Chinese food out for dinner. 

I’m sitting here with goo in my hair, waiting until the timer goes off so I can shower and get started doing scads of things. 

Well, not really scads.  I have one more gift to go out and buy, some more odds and ends to wrap, and stuff from the storage unit to unpack – after I empty the appropriate shelves and reorganize.  Plus some receipts to enter into the ‘puter.  And laundry – always laundry. . .

But what the heck.  We’re ready for Christmas, it’s going to be just us, the kids have a week off, hubby has three days, and if we never get out of our pajamas, it’s no big deal.