How Many More Days?

It rained so much this weekend that a sinkhole opened up on our street! Its a pretty big one, too. This old block I live on is starting to scare me. Everything is so old--how much longer will it hold up? Today I finished covering up the windows in my room with plastic to help keep out the drafts. But no matter how much duct tape I used, I could still feel cold air coming in from somewhere. I think this house is just so old that air comes in through the wall.

The other frustrating thing is that for some reason my family thinks I'm fat! I am tall, and I admit that during middle school and high school I probably was a little chubby, but I've long since lost my baby fat and taken up running, and now I fit into smaller sizes than I wore ten yeares ago in high school. However, as my mom and sister were walking out the door to go shopping this morning, they asked if I wanted them to look for anything for me. I told her that I always need more black shirts. "What size," she asked, "large?" I said small, but my sister exclaimed, "what!? How is that possible?" It's possible! I wore small sizes before I moved here, and now I weigh even less than I did before from all the walking I do, not to mention the lack of money for groceries. But for some reason my family still thinks of me as that chubby high-schooler. Last year for my birthday I got some really cute clothes, but they were all too big. No doubt they also still think I like electric-blue wire-rimmed glasses and jelly shoes. Actually, jelly shoes aren't so bad...

I loved having my parents here for a few days though. My mom cooked us a whole chicken! And she made cinnamon rolls and bought us a ton of fruit. And cute scarves from one of those street-vendors. She tried in vain to convince my dad that they should stay longer, but maybe they will come back for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, its so fun to see all the holiday displays going up in store windows! Everywhere you look downtown there is a giant tree or an enormous wreath or stacks of oversized red Christmas balls. The Lincoln Center tree was lit last night, and today I walked past Rockefeller Center where they were setting up for Wednesday's tree lighting. So much festivity is contagious, and I find myself starting Christmas card lists and thinking of gifts to make for my loved ones. It's less than a month away! Can you believe it?