Thursday, December 11, 2003
I spent most of today working on edits to the admissions section for James. Cindy drove the office staff to our holiday lunch at Beach Chalet. Ena, Melissa, and I had fish and chips. I forget what everyone else had. Kristina couldn't make it—she had to sign papers with Brendan for the purchase of their house. After Beach Chalet, we returned to the office to play the secret Santa game. Cindy brought a fruit tart and a chocolate cake and Martinelli's from Andronico's for the celebration. Delicious! Our Secret Santa rule was: Get something nice for $10. Joel got a sushi kit which included 4 pairs of wooden chopsticks, 2 sushi mats, a wooden rice paddle, and a book with lavish photos and directions on how to make sushi. He offered to make everyone sushi for lunch one day. James got a gift certificate for See's candies. Cindy got gift cards to Blockbuster video. Melissa got a baby amarylis plant in a red glass plant holder. Debrah got a vase made of thick, clear glass. Ena got kitchen utensils and a clothed, zippered box (which was Joel's gift). I got a gift certificate to the Container Store (which was Debrah's gift). Kristina got a box of Joseph Schmidt chocolates (which was my gift). It was our first Christmas in our new office space. Hooray! Dinner at Four Season with Patrick: steamed chicken dumplings, walnut prawns, basil chicken. My fortune: Mothers are the only goddesses in whom the whole world believes. Patrick's fortune: You will always have as much as you have at present. Stopped in on Brian and Kelly who had just gotten takeout from someplace Brian called "Thai Dump." I might've misheard him, but I don't think I did. They're leaving for Montana in 2 days for a long weekend.