Back from Texas with all the Christmas loot, thanks to the parental, sibling, and extended family units. A bit of a quick trip this time, due in part to the timing of Christmas day itself along with the lack of vacation on the party of the second part.

The actual booty was the kind of thing that you enjoy receiving but don't want to crow about to all and sundry lest they try and discover where you actually live so as to visit when we are away. Let's just say that it was all appreciated and leave the details for those personalized thank you cards that are now on the to-do list.

Thankfully, the holiday season is not over, and I'm excited to report that it looks like we'll be ringing out the old year with some fun, social games until midnight or later at our place on New Year's Eve, then having a social brunch followed by some more gaming to bring in 2004 at friends old and new. If there was any better way for a confirmed gamer like me to be any happier, I'm not sure what it would be.