WhimsyLand

You are all wondering what to get me for Christmas, most likely.  You could get me six months of caviar from Petrossian, which will only set you back $1,695 (shipping extra).  While you're at it, send Dima the Mother Russia Sampler for $265, which includes Tsar-cut salmon, Crème Fraîche, borscht and vodka-flavored tea, all in an "imperial red hatbox".  For those of you on a budget, pick up a Hammacher Schlemmer catalog.  I've been very good this year so I'd like:  the voice-activated R2D2 robot that plays the Star Wars cantina song on command;  The Authentic French Absinthe Fountain Set; the ropeless jump rope (works like one of those Wii controllers); The Million-Germ-Eliminating Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer; The Only Adjustable Incline Inflatable Bed; The One-Minute Wine Chiller;  The Runaway Alarm Clock that actually rolls out of your reach when you hit the snooze button; The 40-foot Marshmallow Blaster.  BTW, Miss Emily says she would like the heated cat bed.

My once-expensive Sony DVD player has increasingly been unable to play rented DVDs.  Junie and I stopped by Best Buy and I found out that it's basically impossible to spend more than $120 for a DVD player, and that's for a Sony or Toshiba with HD Upconvert.  Amazing.  Even the DVD recorders are sub-$200, so you can record those House episodes and stop buying the DVD box sets.

More tomorrow.  Supper calls.