Wheeee! Came home from a long day in town to find that Santa had arrived while I was gone (dang it) and left a large plastic bag hanging from my gate post. I got it down, opened the bag, and inside, at the bottom, was a box, a cardboard box wound round and round with festive duct tape and deeply dented. OH NO! I thot...it's been Postal-ed! I carefully pulled it out and, cringing, rattled it, and was overjoyed to hear no alarming rattles.

No sign on the outside of the box, as to SS's identity, but definitely from aX the pond. I carefully opened the box and found 3 treasures inside, plus a card. Luckily, I have a dispensation from the Father of All Santas and no will power, so opened all presents immediately. I started with the card, so now know that Firekat, and Tig and Badger, are my benefactors.

Thank you, thank you for these great gifts! First off, a nifty hair brush, much like the one my English friend Linda has which I've coveted for some time, but soooo much better, as it's been personalized with some very clever woodburned decoration on the back. Is this your work, Kat? I've never owned a brush with my name on it! Next, a wonderfully inventive twisted wire sculpture--leaping dolphins, and also personalized with my own Mudcat monicker. And last, but definitely not least, a book I've been dying to read by one of my favorite authors: Bill Bryson's "Mother Tongue." Thank you again, Firekat, Tig and Badger for such thoughtful and creative gifts.

Now with great pleasure I'm off to read my new book....

Nancy