Happy Boxing Day!

We celebrated Christmas on the 26th, Boxing Day, because we spent most of the 25th traveling back from a fabulous skiing vacation near Big Sky, Montana. I have returned feeling very refreshed and enthusiastic, having left a week ago completely stressed and convinced that it was all going to be too much hassle. That's shows you what a bit of luxurious living can do.

Here is one of the views from the top ski lift - guaranteed to lift your spirits:

Here, very briefly are a few updates, which I will expand upon shortly:

1 - Despite a horrible experience on the day, I passed the NCLEX. I got the results 4 days before we left town. I now need to pass a small examination on the Texas Nursing Act, called the Jurisprudence exam, but it seems that is a doddle. Then I am a licensed RN in the state of Texas.

2 - It looks like Fred is potty trained, at least during the day. He wore underpants every day on vacation and had only one accident, despite taking baby ski lessons in 15F temperatures with complete strangers, while wearing a zip up snow suit and ski boots. I don't know how he managed.

3 - Boseman, MT has the nicest airport I've ever seen. Even nicer than Austin, because it's smaller. It has only 5 departure gates makes it easy to run from the restaurant to the gate and the views from the windows are spectacular.

4 - Father Christmas brought me a Kindle, which I have decided is absolutely the coolest item of technology since the iPod. Not only can you read anywhere, and switch it to voice narration if you need to do something distracting, like cook dinner or pick up stitches for a sock gusset, but Amazon is selling dozens of classic novels for free. This is fabulous as outside of book club selections, that's about all I read. I have downloaded - wirelessly from across the house - the King James Bible, Alice Through the Looking Glass, (which I'm ashamed to say I'd never read), some short works by Edith Wharton which delighted me because I'd never heard of them, and Pride and Prejudice, which no one can ever grow tired of. Last night I went up to bed at about 1230am, after we'd attended a neighbor's After Christmas party, and I read until 230am without even realizing it. And you can adjust the type size if you can't find your glasses....