Christmas Bits and Pieces

I finished it--finally! Mansfield Park is now under my literary belt. And I enjoyed it. Not so much as Pride & Prejudice, but hey, it's Austen. Next year I'm targeting Northanger Abbey and Sense & Sensibility (squeezing them in amidst all those other must-read books).

Just got back inside, having been in charge of 'holding the ladder' for my husband as he climbed up to put uber-bright and colorful LED lights on our house. I'm free-ee-zing, and it's only forty-five or so degrees out there. But our house looks very festive now. I still have to add the mini white doves in the holly tree and my wreath to the door, but other than that, we're ready. Inside is also done and it seems a lot more crowded in here now--Christmas stuff crammed in to all the main living areas. I love looking at the lights on the tree. My MIL gave me a tree-spinner a few years ago, so we turn in on and watch it spin and it's just lovely.

I braved the mall today--too many gifts unaccounted for--and shockingly, I forgot until I was at the mall that there were going to be crowds. I figured it for any other shopping day. And mostly it wasn't bad--parking was the worst thing about it--particularly as I scored a number of good gifts. Yay! I'm still not quite finished though, so I may be going out tomorrow too even though it's been slated as a day to write (and clean the bathrooms).

I'm working on a difficult chapter right now, and am anxious to hammer it out. My CP has read several versions and insists that none of them are quite right, none of them are as interesting as they should be...that I'm losing momentum I'd been building, etc. So I'm really trying to tread carefully, getting just the right balance. And so far, I'm not sure I'm accomplishing it. I did only have one hour today, so I can't quibble too much. Hopefully tomorrow I'll hit the target.