No pictures today. Today was a day of doing a whole lot of nothing. Still cold - I think the high for the day was about 60, but that was when the sun was out and it was hardly out today, lots of clouds. I did my starbucks routine this morning, heading out for coffee, the new york times and a croissant. Dad, Helena and Howie were having cereal when I got back. I joined them and then after breakfast I tightened Howie's head gear and changed grandpa's hearing aid batteries and then we took a walk to the Publix mall, stopped at the hearing aid store to see if they got the special battery arms Dad ordered (special order has not arrived yet) met up with Bob and Mary at Beale's Department store where Mary and Helena shopped and the guys sat around and talked football, then onto Target to get golf balls for Bob, who outside gave one to Howie who proceeded to bounce the golf ball, then onto Publix where we got a bread for dinner and some sliced turkey for lunch, Howie continued to bounce his golf ball around until it shot loose and hit the deli case head on. Miraculously there was no broken glass. While we were at Target Ben called with the news that house upstate is now under contract with a big earnest money check, and a closing date of January 22nd. So it's official. We waited outside of Publix and waited for Bob and Mary. We called Jackie and Howie talked to his mom for awhile. Then we started walking back to the house. Then we had some lunch and Howie, Grandpa and I went to see The Alvin and the Chipmunks Squeakle Movie, Dad slept on and off for most of the movie, but he was smiling during the happy ending. Of course he complained that the theater was too cold.

Yesterday at the department store... I was looking at this lavender jump suit and jokingly said, Jackie would look good in that, and Helena said, "Jackie would look good in a paper bag."

And yesterday when Jack told us about the Haiti earthquake just happening, Dad said, I think I heard about that yesterday...And I said, then let me know what stocks I should buy...

After the movie I noticed a message from Ben who I called back, who is very excited about the sale of the house. He should be happy and proud - he did a great job, now it's all physical logistics of emptying out the house, which he is leaving rightfully so to the rest of us...I'm thinking I should go in and help pack up and say goodbye...

So after the movie I drove back home and we've been hanging out since, on the computer, doing crosswords, Howie did his math homework and continues to plow through the sudoku, though we are stuck on today's, just can't get the next number. Helena and I worked on the crossword, Dad talked about the house a lot, figuring out what he wanted out of there and wondering what the buyers thought about and I kept cutting him off and telling him, Dad they signed a contract with NO Contingencies!

Helena had taken some frozen homemade meatballs out of the freezer earlier in the day and she warmed up dinner and I think we are now going to play some scrabble...

Dad loves to walk by and pass gas...

Howie just brought me today's sudoku and I get dizzy looking at it...