Why should I get dressed just b/c it's New Year's Eve?

Sometimes you just wanna go around in your PJs all day long, right gang? When I put in my contax I saw that we'd had a nice dusting of snow, so I stepped out on the front porch for a refreshing mouthful of fresh-fallen snow.

After my breakfast of poached egg on homemade challah, I swept off my car with a broom just in case I needed to make a quick getaway. Then I swept off my sidewalk - easier than a shovel - and then when the mail came I had to run after Mailman Bob to mail two letters and here's what I said to myself, "It's FREEZING! I should've dressed warmer." I was wearing clogs without my pink socks.

Tonight I'll be ringing in the New Year by sleeping thru it. My gas fireplace makes so much noise I won't hear the revelers on my street. You could stage a robbery in my house and I wouldn't wake up. But please don't.

My old car was burgled earlier this year. I know, I know, I never lock it. I had some pretty plates in there my mom bought me from Belgium but the robbers only took a pack of cigs from my glove compartment. They were Newport Menthols and belonged to Michael Board, the man who stole my car when I worked in Bensalem. Sadly, for Michael, he died in my car, after an overdose of heroin. Sorry, Mike.

The Bad Plus will be on NPR Radio tonite. Thanks, Helene, for letting me know. My son/law, Ethan Iverson, is the pianist and wrote a nice note on his blog asking his literally thousands of readers to 'wander over' to Ruth's website and make a donation.

Oh, I mailed out so many Letters of Solicitation. Each was a joy of write. I personalize them and think of really amazing things to say. They are simply irresistible, I think, as I put the stamp on and enclose a SASE.

I've received NO DONATIONS thru my great letters.

I wanted to donate a little something to Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia. I'm on there every five minutes. They reached their goal of $7.5 million today. My sister Ellen donated. Oh my god, is she ever cheap! Yeah, but Ruthie, you didn't even donate. You know why? Cuz I hate typing up my credit card no. in the blanks and the expiry number. Plus the three blind mice little digits on the reverse.

Yum! This hot tea is delicious. I get so nervous when I work on my novel I munch on unsalted pretzels. It's harder to write than I thought. My momentum stopped when I finished up my last online class. I just had nothing left inside me. Now I've started my engine again and trying to make it race. So far we're only going 5 mph but at least we're on the racetrack, SeaBiscuit.