Twas the night before the night before the night before Christmas

Ok.  I did finally get the tree up, but the dogs had to help me.  It's been hard to get into the mood this year and I finally got off my kiester to assemble/set up our tree.  This is a new tree this year for us.  Way skinnier than the last ones.  After years of big, tall trees, we're not quite sold on this one, but give me a few days and a few ornaments, and I'll make it work.  It appears that Grayson has already gotten used to it. 

I am actually off until the new year.  Wasn't planning to take off all of next week, but things worked out and I got the green light from my boss so I am officially statused as "Out of Office".  Of course, given the current technology available (aka Blackberries), you are never really out of touch.  Last weekend I was off on vacation, but spent half my morning answering e-mails.  I even got mildly chided when I didn't answer my blackberry phone from my boss (was out running at the time).  Hopefully, next week will be a quiet one.  

In the meanwhile, 3 days and counting...

And in my current state of mind, I was in sore need of some humor provided my brother and this hit my funny bone:

A Touching Christmas Story A couple was doing last minute shopping on Christmas Eve. Walking through the very crowded mall the wife looked up and noticed her husband was no where around. She became very upset because they had a lot to do. She used her cell phone to call her husband to ask where he was.  The husband, in a calm voice said, "Honey remember the jewelry store we went into five years ago, where you fell in love with that diamond necklace that we could not afford and I told you that I would get it for you one day?" The wife, crying, said "Yes, I remember". Husband: "Well, I'm in the bar next to that jewelry store."