i haven't been looking forward to today--december 20--because it marks the two-year anniversary of my good friend lexi's death. i remember being at work on the night of the 19th, making salads out back, and looking up to see someone who looked just like lexi standing at the counter. upon second glance, i knew it wasn't her.

that evening, i took out my tongue ring--which, two years earlier, lexi had gone with me to get. she, lucas and becca were there as my moral support as i went through with the piercing.

and then, the next day, i found out.

so here it is, two years later, and i miss lex a great deal. i woke up this morning and saw that it was raining, and i found that appropriate--fit the mood i thought i'd be in. but i discovered that it was a warm rain (shocking to have warmth around here in december!) and rather light, so it actually made the walking experience very pleasant. i've had a series of incredibly friendly encounters with strangers today (including one guy offering to share his umbrella with me as we walked to work, which i thought was sweet) and am, while admittedly sad and nostalgic, in a great mood because i know lexi's smiling down on me and looking out for me today.

it's just as her friend said at the funeral--when i'm upset that i can't hold her, i can remember that she's holding me. and today just goes to show that she does.

the holiday party last night was a great deal of fun...tons of amazing food, lots of alcohol and, of course, the skit--which was a ton of fun. my hunter green toga made me look like the statue of liberty, which i found incredibly funny. the fact that the togas started falling off halfway through the skit was even funnier (yes, we were fully clothed underneath). i finally experienced "real" egg nog--i'm so glad my first experience was with clara's batch (she made a virgin version and a spiked version--naturally i went for the spiked). there was some delicious wine, otter creek ales and magic hat beer (come on, we're vermont peeps! there needed to be some magic hat action going on), and then tables of food--four or five lasagnas, stuffed shells, clara's famous meatballs, turkey, chicken, ham, salmon, veggies, casseroles, legal seafood clam chowder, salad, rolls and bread, and then desserts of so many different kinds...my brownies were a success, as they were all gone in no time, i am proud to say!

just a good time had by all.

and then today, senator lott steps down as incoming majority leader...i didn't think he's step down so soon, particularly not on a friday, when it'll be all over the news all weekend...whoa!