Goodbye Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands and hello Dark Tower IV: Wizard And Glass. I must say reading the this series during seasonal layoff has been a blast. Further, deeper, up to my breastbone in Roland's world. I'll also say that Dark Tower III just ends. The beginning of IV could just as well be part of III. But Mr. King explained all that in the afterword of III. I can forgive him for that. After all, it's been a hell of a read.

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The holidays are over. Xmas eve was a success with dinner at Marthas and dollar presents at the Oltions. I gave everyone the cliche xmas gift--socks!--and that appeared to be a hit. Among the things I was gifted: superballs (which will become cat toys, I predict), a Brachiosaurus model, spaceship candle, and the Charles de Lint novel Jack Of Kinrowan. Ximena had found a paperback for a buck at the Goodwill, so a good find.

Then there was the story reading at our apartment. By that time of the evening Leslie and Gary begged off because they were tired. And Alan had to return home as well. That meant our little apartment had three guests (five of us total) instead of a total of ten. We had hot chocolate and brandy, pumpkin loaf, and coffee, and other assorted goodies. We had stories from Ray (two short ones, actually), Jerry, and Kathy. Neither Ximena or I had a story to read. Alas. But it was still great fun. Kitty came out to visit everyone and took a short tour of the laps.

On Xmas day we went to Diannas for brunch. Of course before that we opened our gifts. Ximena gave me Bond's gyrocopter "Little Nellie" from You Only Live Twice. When we had gone to the Bond exhibit in Phoenix (early November), she snuck back to the gift shop and bought it. I got her a sea otter pendant carved out of bone, found at the holiday market here in Eugene. Other gifts from family included a Poe action figure for me and a Librarian action figure for Ximena.

We brought pretty, shiny pens and alcohol chocolates to Dianna's. I brought the coffee, too, because I'm in charge of the coffee. She doesn't even have a coffee maker. So we had eggs benedict and mimosas and exchanged the gifts. We came home with a stock pot and lots of chocolates and other food.

It was great fun. Now that xmas is done I can get back to writing.