Just finished two major projects, and now I have a bit of breathing room. At least I hope they're done... been spending a lot of time the last week or so attending to forgotten last minute details. If I'm lucky, though, it's all in the bag now.

Been able to get out a bit the last couple of days. Allie, reveling in her brand new and oft declared Tween status, told me she wanted to go one on one with me for (decaf) cappucinos. I went ahead and let her try it. I don't think the cappucino experience was quite what she was expected, and she's allowed that maybe she's not too big for hot chocolate after all.

We went to Purple Moon over in Dunedin because every other indie coffee house in the area seems to have closed in the past several months. It turns out that we wandered right into the middle of the town's Christmas festival. Had a great time wandering around. There were lots of musicians spread all around, including a really nice little jazz duo and a guy playing the coolest instrument ever.

I'd never seen a pedal steel guitar before, but I recognized the sound. It was freaking awesome listening to him do a bunch of 1950s stuff, as well as plays on Christmas tunes. The Christmas stuff had an almost surreal cheerfulness to it, like something out of a Tim Burton movie. I sat and listened for about an hour while Allie ran back and forth between all the craft activities.

A couple of friends came over to the house with Simon after he got off work, and we sat around talking unti about 3:30.

Tonight, I'm going to go out and see either Buffalo Strange or Full Fledged Unit. I'm more excited about the venue that Buffalo Strange is playing, but more into Full Fledged as a band. So, letting my friend, who is checking out their websites now, decide where we'll go.