We got back from spending a few days visiting the relatives (first starmalachite 's folks in the outskirts of the Harrisburg area, and then my folks in Schuylkill County). A few of the highlights:

One of my presents for starmalachite was a box with three DVDs, one classic from her wish list, another of the same, and one big hunk of cheese we both remember from a convention MiSTing session. The way she cracked up at the last one was even better than I'd hoped.

During post-Christmas shopping, I found that the local branch of Fye's was liquidating. The stock had been pretty seriously picked through, but I found the two-disk special edition of Iron Man for under $20.

Earlier today, we stopped by my brother Chris' house and got to visit his cats (including the big mellow amber tabby who lay on top of the printer acccepting attention and otherwise watching the humans). I managed to fulfil the family tech support duties that generally come up and get one of the laptops back on speaking terms with the house wireless network.

Now, we're back, reassuring the poor abandoned pussycats (and giving the old one her subcutaneous fluids, which she probably finds more annoying than reassuring).

Yesterday was the last day at the office for the year; today is going to preparation for getting on the road to visit both sets of relatives in Pennsylvania. I may or may not get online occasionally (both places we'll be staying are in the Dialup Hinterlands).

The cats have figured out that the humans are getting ready to leave, so at least one of them is always underfoot.

Happy Holidays to all (with wishes that Santa delivers "a life" to everybody who gets all exercised about the so-called "War On Christmas").

Vir had a rather exciting birthday. First, I put on a pot of tuna casserole, and had him (and Heidi) underfoot clamoring for their share. (I let them have the water from the tuna cans.)

Next, starmalachite printed the holiday card labels -- working from the laptop and sending the job over the wireless network to the printer in the bedroom. Naturally, this causes the printer to start up without apparent human intervention. Satin (the rather slow-witted elderly white cat) just ignores it, as one of many incomprehensible phenomena in her world. Heidi (the middle-aged tortie) just ignores it, because it is not relevant to her interests. Vir, on the other hand, was right there, watching in fascination as the labels were pulled in and then pushed out again.