My Wallet Hurts

Normally at this time of year I'd be running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to figure out what on Earth to get people for Christmas. This year, since we're spending another Christmas overseas, I did all of my shopping in a timely and efficient manner: I ran around the day before the Christmas mailing deadline like a Chicken with its head cut off trying to get gifts purchased, gift wrapped and mailed. I'm still not exactly done shopping for the people who reside en casa, but I've still got a week.

Melissa has been getting into the holiday spirit by baking all sorts of goodies. I'm secretly convinced she's become a cannibal and is trying to fatten me up for her Christmas dinner. There's so much sweet stuff sitting around our place that even the decorations are edible. Diabetics beware: the air in our apartment will probably kill you.

Questions you never thought you'd have to pose, "How many calories are in that Christmas tree?"

This past weekend we went to the Aachen Christmas market. To say it was a little crowded would be akin to saying Microsoft makes a few dollars each year.

We had a nice time in spite of the crowds. Melissa spent money, I watched and carried the bags. Then we'd go to the next stall and repeat the process.

We were extremely fortunate to find a parking lot with free parking. We think. The gate was open when we arrived, so we just pulled in; I'm not convinced we were technically "allowed" to. We weren't towed or ticketed, but there was a moment of panic when we returned to the car and found the exit gates closed. They opened up as we drove towards them, but I must admit to having visions of muscling a gate open or going off-roading to make our escape.

Melissa and I are both very happy with all of our purchases, but none so much as our new pyramid. We'll try to ensure this pyramid doesn't catch the cat, or itself, on fire as so many of its brethren have done.

We also bought a smoker¹ that helped us discover a universal truth:

No matter what name you put on it, everywhere you go, in every language, burning incense always smells like crap.

-Dave

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¹For those unfamiliar with this particular German decoration: think a nutcracker mixed with an incense burner, just without the nuts or the cracking.