Last night we watched the Downtown Abbey Christmas special, which I think marks the end of Season 4. It’s gone down the tubes, I guess, like everyone says, but I don’t think it’s really any worse than when it started. Every character has their own little dance and they do it, usually with a minimum of sensible editing. I’m tired of these people but I cannot stop somehow.

I replaced my dead phone today after over a week of not having one. I was denied the chance to replace it with a cheaper dumbphone–it had to be a one-to-one exchange or they would charge me hundreds for something different. “I will sign a piece of paper saying I am not upset,” I bargained. No dice.

The guy at the store told me he thought I’d be happier with something with better processing power, but I think I’m just over the whole phone thing. I like my tablet so I am not some kind of cabin-dwelling touch screen denier. I regretted not being able to make or receive calls, of course, but that was about it. Overall I was happier without it–not staring at it, not being tethered to it. I’m trying to be more engaged in my surroundings, which is pretty easy for me to contemplate now that I don’t work downtown anymore and I am no longer harassed on the street daily. I think I am a combination of getting old and people in the small neighborhood I work in recognize me so I am more of a fixture. When the guy handed me my new replacement phone and my heart sunk when I saw the text messages I’d missed dropping in, I knew my resolution for next year would be LESS PHONE.

Yesterday was kind of a mixed bag. The girls were REALLY HAPPY and then they were REALLY SUGAR CRASHY and crabby with everyone. I was pushing to go to a movie or something, but we didn’t quite make it out of the house. We did play some Ticket to Ride and Killer Bunnies, so that was a highlight. Then I napped too long and undercooked my lamb roast. I kind of suck at Xmas. Oh well. The end!