Just wanted to post a bit of nonsense from a visit with my brother and his family for the holidays.
My brother and his wife, myself and My Beloved were sitting around after our holiday dinner on New Years day evening just chatting and catching up on the past year. (We generally only see each other once a year, since I moved from Southern California to Central California the summer of 2004.) We were discussing our "favorite" gifts. The subject of gift certificates came up. I like to get them, but I always feel like it is a "cop out" gift when I give them, so I will give one in addition to a gift. My brother said that he adores getting gift certificates. He always has. It's like two gifts in one for him. He gets something and he gets to shop. Then, he looked straight at me and said, "But, if I ever get a gift certificate from you, I will be so pissed." He was wearing the new hat and scarf that I had knitted for him and grinning like a loon. Apparently, according to his lovely wife, he wore the hat that I made him last year to bed. So did his sons. I think that is the best damned compliment that I have ever gotten from my brother. Ever.
Sorry there are no pictures, but I failed to take my camera on the trip.