The sky was grey today, and damp, but not cold, and tonight when I took the dogs out for their last call, I saw geckos on the wall. We’re supposed to have another cold front tomorrow or the day after (according to Weather.com it will be 77 tomorrow, 74 Wednesday, drop 40 degrees over night, and warm up to 47 on Thursday), and since I know the house is heated and our dogs sleep with us, I find myself worrying about my small reptilian housemates.

The rain today was a soft rain, sometimes barely more than a mist, and sometimes fat drops that plunked onto the ground like wet marbles. But the air was warmish and there was no chill in the water. When I went out just now, it felt so refreshing on my face and arms and feet.

It feels like I haven’t blogged in forever – I’ve been writey, just not bloggey. Here are some updates.

Thanksgiving was spent with my aunt and her family in Louisiana, near Shreveport. Dinner was catered, but tasty, and my cousin J and his sons made an oreo pie, which was disgustingly unhealthy and horribly sweet, but worth experiencing once. We met my aunt’s horse (she does dressage) and fed him carrots, and I’ve been whuffled and wickered and whinned at, and used as an equine napkin, or rather, my pink shirt was. And I thought Rottie drool was bad. So beyond glad I don’t have jowly dogs. But I still want a burro.

Also, I never posted a list of things I’m thankful for, and while there are many I could list – a life filled with love and laughter, good friends, great books, a warm and cozy house to live in, time to write, etc, the thing that is foremost in my mind right now (and partly a reaction to certain relatives) is that I feel truly blessed that I was raised in an ethnically diverse place, among creative, talented people from many walks of life, religious, spiritual, and lifestyle traditions, that I grew up surrounded by people who made their own choices, and that my mother always encouraged me to be independent and a free thinker. Sappy? Yeah, but still true.

Saturday was spent at ComedySportz, where I helped greet ‘n’ seat during the early show, and participated in the late “blue” show which involved many phallic jokes about New Hampshire. (You had to be there). We hadn’t advertised, really, so there was no audience to speak of, so we turned it into a sort of open workshop, and had fun, then went out to dinner.

Sunday involved much churchiness, as it was the 60th anniversary of St. Andrew’s as well as just being St. Andrew’s Day (which was actually during the week, but apparently you can move feast days to the nearest Sunday if necessary). As the bishop was in attendance, there were confirmations and a baptism as well as the normal St. Andrew’s Day festivities, and the doubly altered service meant twice as much music (my favorite part) as well as a kilted bagpiper (an adorable man who reminds me of my grandfather who never, to my knowledge, wore a kilt or played the bagpipes) leading our procession. Later in the service he played Amazing Grace, and I got teary partly because I’m enough of a Trekkie that Amazing Grace on the bagpipe is significant that way, and partly because the song was included in my favorite aunt’s wedding, and both my grandparents’ funerals – I sang it, actually, in my grandmother’s funeral. In spite of being moved – the baptismal and confirmation ceremonies are really beautiful – I had to laugh, because there’s no way to really fade out on a bagpipe – it’s ruined by the sort of abrupt burp at the end. I was exhausted, having not gone to bed til two AM, but still, beginning a week with laughter (we are always so snarky in choir rehearsal) and song is pretty cool.

NaNoWriMo is nearly over. Our TGIO is Saturday at one in Arlington. I haven’t updated my wordcount in two weeks….I’m not quite at 50k yet, but I plan to spend Weds and Thurs finishing it (have another project to finish tomorrow).

Holidailies begins on Friday. (If you’ve never played before, it’s a committment to update your blog or journal every day from 12/01/06 – 01/01/07. Monitors read the portal entries and select the best of them each day to highlight. It’s fun, and a great holiday activity that doesn’t cost a cent. Think of it as a sort of advent calendar for bloggers.

Lessons and Carols Rehearsals begin Tuesday with the performance on Sunday evening, December 17th. It’s a traditional Anglican Christmas service (not a Mass), and it’s beautiful and amazing, and really fun.

And I’m still playing with my original short stories, a possible entry for the Dead of Winter contest at Toasted Cheese, and will be posting more fanfic 100 entries in my TNG fic after the month changes.

And um…Fuzzy is leaving for a business trip in three hours so I’m gonna go cuddle with him while I can.

G’night.