Christmas in February Totally Rules

Oh, joy! Yesterday, after suffering another EXHAUSTING commute into work, inwhich it was so crowded the entire 45 minutes that I was shoved, pushed, stepped on, growled at, jabbed, and sneezed on, I asked permission to come in a half hour later to work--and was GRANTED SAID PERMISSION. This works in my favor in so many ways--now I can do more work in the morning AND read peacefully, sitting down on the subway. It also means that I had time to go pick up a mysterious package that lay in wait at the post office. When I finally got it, it was a long delayed Christmas package from my step brother & his lovely wife. It's a funny thing to get Christmas crackers in February and toy snowmen too! ANYWAY, I was OVERJOYED at the two gifts that lay in wait--The Joy of Cooking (which I've been wanting for years), AND (MORE EXCITING TO ME BY FAR), the new Elements of Style, illustrated by my favorite living illustrator, Maira Kalman. I almost yipped my way to the subway!

I've gone to visit it many times in bookstores since it appeared in its glowing red book cover in November. I swooned and drooled over the masterful art, which seems to just get better and better. The price was a bit prohibitive for me these last few months, and now I have it in my HOT BIG HANDS! SO EXCITING.

I highly recommend late Christmas presents. They totally rule, if you ask me. If you want to score with someone, get something they'll really like and then wait 6 weeks to give it to them. It feels like a bonus package! A surprise package! A dream package! A-Keeping-the-Party-Going package!

I have to tell you also that the red little book, looked GREAT in my hands, as I ran underneath the glowing green ceiling of Grand Central. For just a second, I felt like one of Maira Kalman's guache paintings. A good way to start the day.