MONEY, BOOKS, AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN THE PURSUIT OF GIFTMAKING.

Can I have some money?
she asked.

What for?
I asked.

For books.
she said.
I have to get more books. And you promised we'd always have plenty of books and art supplies and now I'm running out of books. So, we need to go to the bank and get some money so I can buy some more books. Can we go now?

Wow.
I said.
You are good.

He was cranking out Christmas presents.
But when he found out it was his uncle's birthday,
it leaped to the top of the priority list.
Rarely has a gift had so much love, focus, and hot glue poured into its making.
Look out holidays, it's gonna be a handmade one to the extreme.

____

Of course this isn't a competition to see who survived the most dreadful weather last night, but the wind speed hit 270 miles* an hour at our house. At least one tree down, approximately sixty feet in diameter. Conservative estimate. Be safe, PNW peeps.

*ballpark