It's Dec. 28 already and in a week I'll be back at work. I'm not sure why time seems to be running away from me at the moment. Perhaps because I have so much to accomplish (or things I want to accomplish) in the next week and yet I also want time to be by myself to read and relax.

Time is such a valuable commodity and sometimes I feel I squander it needlessly. Time isn't money, it is a currency all of its own and one I learn to value more each day - a lesson I wish I learned long ago.

Grey, overcast days tend to make me reflective and rather blue. A lot of the world seems to be feeling that way today. Is it the post Christmas let-down or something more?

Continuing with the Christmas of children theme, today I had a nice long visit with Rachel (8) and Alyssa (2) - plus their Mom of course. I gave them both books of course and it's always gratifying when they appreciate getting books.

Reflections on Boxing Day

Oh to be two again! Yesterday I went to a friend's house to celebrate her son's 2nd birthday. The joy in his eyes at all the presents and being able to rip paper open with abandon. The simple delight in just opening a gift is something we all lose as we age. I think he had more fun pulling wrapping paper apart than with the gifts themselves.

There is certainly something to be said for delight in simply receiving a gift. When I got home yesterday I got to open a special present. It was the opening day for the Holiday Book Exchange at BookRelay.com and I finally got to open the package that has been sitting on my desk taunting me for two weeks.

I knew that it would be a great gift because it was from SpikesMom and she has fantastic taste. I certainly wasn't disappointed because I received two books from my wish list: One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus and We Are All Fine Here: A Novel by Mary Guterson.

And SandDanz was happy with the books I sent her for the exchange so all is good!

Later on Christmas Night

After so many weeks preparing, Christmas is now over. Everyone appreciated their hand-knit goodies (scarves for my Mom, Dad and Brother and a capelet for my Sister-in-Law) and the books were a hit as always. I wonder what would happen if I missed giving books one year?

Now the planning begins for the New Year's Eve get-together I'm hosting. Yikes!

And the other big question is "What to read to start off 2006's marathon of book goodness?" I've joined the "Read 200 books in 2006" challenge on 43things.com which shouldn't be too difficult as I read about 156 this year. I'm part way through Prague by Arthur Phillips so that might be book #1 for 2006, if I don't finish it this week.

Merry Christmas!

I haven't done much with this blog but I'm going to try and begin working on this to track my reading for 2006 and track my book reviews and other writings.

Merry Christmas to all my friends, especially those at BookRelay!