It's Beginning To Look Like...

I'm going to enjoy Christmas!

I did NaNoWriMo! I'm a winner! (For those not of the writerly persuasion, it means National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write a book of at least 50,000 words in one month's time. I did.) Now I'll have a project to polish, edit, revise, keep me sharp over the cold winter months and when I'm in between Blonde Ops and Sirenz 3 work, and edits for another book my agent is chewing up.

So thrilled that I've succeeded at that--it was hard--Thanksgiving really threw me for a loop since I entertained 9 people for dinner. All that cooking, cleaning, organizing, then cleaning after company left, then decorating for Christmas I got behind by THOUSANDS of words. But I turned off the TV and glued myself (figuratively) to the desk. I am victorious!

So, here's what my house looks like: First, my tree. It's a little plain (you can't see all the decorations with the low light). I like a little more glitz and I'm one of those annoying people that have a THEME, but this year I'm over at my brother's house.But the cats like it and the plastic balls keep them amused and me sane. I put jingle bells on the lower branches. When they ring, I go running with the water gun. Good target practice. >:)

This is part of my nutcracker collection. I have over 75. (No thank you, I don't want any more. I'm the one who has to unpack/pack them every year. I have one that is over 3 feet tall.) I've found out that people react strangely to them; either they're freaked out by them (one of our friends), they like to do unspeakable things with/to them (another friend) or they look relieved that they don't live in my house (most people). But, I really would like little nutcrackers for the main characters in my books. I wonder if I can find someone to make a little Shar, Meg, Hades.... (If you know of anyone who does this, call me but don't tell the hubs.)

The piano from my Great Uncle Wilbur is under there. This is my hubster's domain- the Christmas Village. We have tons more, but this year a number of factors (like not doing the pre-planning) limited the size. We have a bookstore (of COURSE!), cathedral, church (hubby's family Catholic, mine Protestant), toy and general stores, hotel, Christmas tree farm, school, train station, clock tower, baker, butcher,trees, skating pond, bridge, and yes, a WalMart (my mother thought she was being funny.). That's another collection we have enough of (unless...no, never mind.)

The final stop: my unique bookcase. Each cubby has books and a poinsettia flower,and a few extra nutcracker soldiers stand guard. Like every book fanatic, I need more space. (It would just be easier to live in a library. So if the Apocalypse occurs, I'll be there. Zombies don't read, I'll be safe.) I'm sure you can see the blue Sirenz cover...

Next week, my office tree and the outside of my house. I like to spread the glee out.

If you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you peace and all good things. And don't be scared, it all goes back in the box on New Year's Day.

Char