I've been putting a lot of miles on my feet this week, and feeling very healthy doing it. In a stroke of genius timing, i've chosen the coldest week so far all year during which to make my attempt at a more european/manhattan lifestyle, and i keep running into obstacles - like where are all the delis and street vendors? What are all these people eating? Also, our public transit really is awful, and that’s not just my bitterness about the monorail talking. Without the bus tunnel’s modicum of sanity, moving around downtown is hideous and not worth the trouble, even when the alternative is trudging through the wind and drizzle. And has Seattle always been so full of hills?
Part of all this footwork has been trips up and down the hill to harborview, visiting my friend John. He was in a motorcycle accident (vs. a car) on wednesday, but i didn't hear until i returned to work monday. I've been making a visit or two every day, and a good deal of my idle thoughts during the day involve racking my brain for things i can do that would be of help to either him, or his mother Jill, who i've been spending equally as much time with this week - and who officially adopted me as her fourth child this morning. :) He was in rough shape - broken bones up the left side, internal organ damage, concussion - but is recovering well already. He had regained his dexterity in at least one hand yesterday, so i've got a stack of car, ski and computer magazines in my bag today if he feels up for that. I'm waiting for the green light from Leslie the cute nursing student before i make a trip to starbucks for him.
In an effort to fortify my holiday cheer against all that’s wrong in the world - bright, 21-year-old guys getting struck down in intersections; exciting job offers that find every excuse to be delayed - i spent last nite listening to House Arrest and erecting my green plastic expression of seasonal joy and showering it with glitz and baubles. 
Somehow - i'm blaming the grinch - my tree’s stand disappeared since last year, so i took Danielle’s suggestion monday and fashioned a sturdy replacement out of some pvc pipe, a terra cotta pot and quick-set concrete. My tree is much less tippy and significantly more pet-proof now, so if i had any pets that would be really good news. Unlike rabbits, door dings and credit card offers which seem to multiply when you're not looking, my tinsel seems to dwindle with each passing year and looking at that picture i'm thinking this may be the year i need to adopt some more. I started some shopping before tgiving so there are even a few wrapped gifts under there, and the whole thing looks very festive, despite the scantily-draped silver garland.
From the snippet of tv news i caught in the waiting room yesterday, all this icy gloom in the city has been translating into winter wonderland in the mountains, and if it continues i might have a chance to make use of that ski pass very soon, which would give me one more reason to be “decking the halls" this week.