Wednesday, December 23, 2020

11th Annual Bob's 99 Cent Store Holiday Shopping Trip, Pandemic Edition (*spoiler alert for immediate family)


Our 99 Cent Store isn't doing the greatest job of keeping the place socially distant and only 20% populated as per the LA County Covid guidelines. We were going to bag it for this year, but then decided we would just have a change of venue. So.


Welcome to Bob's Rite Aid Pharmacy Holiday Shopping Trip. We went with a $5.00 limit per gift. Here's how it went down. 


Mr. Rosenberg - 34 Count Pack of Topps 2020 Baseball Update Series Cards "There was only one pack left. I think it was a sign."


Me - Glass Snowman Figurine "Mom, why are you looking? Do not look in the basket! I'm hiding it under this other thing! Stop peeking."


MeeMee (my mom) - A 6" European Cypress Live Christmas Tree "She doesn't have a Christmas tree in her place and she can't come to our house this year, so... We can put little lights on it."


Aunt Jill  - Large Pink Notebook "I think I got her a notebook last year but she probably really liked it."


Our Friend Suketu - 12oz Bottle of Frank's Red Hot Sauce "I seem to remember he likes spicy, hot things. Well, if he doesn't, Frank's isn't that hot."


Bajan (Jeff's mom) - Red and White Plaid Fuzzy Throw Blanket "Since we all have to be home all the time, she can use this to keep warm when she meets her clients over Zoom."


Pops - Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Filled Candy Cane "Duh. It's Pops. It's Reese's" * Note: Levi got into the Rite Aid bag and found the Reese's candy cane. He only ate one peanut butter cup so he's fine, but the whole plastic candy cane situation will need to be replaced. "Yeah, Levi's good. He only ate one. Since we'll have to get a new one anyway, Dad and I split the rest of the peanut butter cups."


Jen - Amaryllis Bulb "This one looks like it has a big bud ready to go. We don't want to give her a dud like the one you got for the house last year." 


Hoping your holiday isn't a dud. Merry Christmas. 













Sunday, December 6, 2020

Smacksy Sunday Links


Ways to keep your mental health strong over the holidays.

Let's talk about living alone during the holidays this year.

The best Steve and Eydie holiday song.

An ode to aunties.

Intentional ways to reduce holiday stress.

What you can cook for the cost of one coffee a day.

About menus - using the menu of one of my favorite places in NYC as an example.

This Italian town has just two residents but they still insist on wearing masks.

And Wilbur the mayor.

Happy Sunday.