Inspirations from cheese in a can. joey, kelly and danny.

Here’s what Black Friday is looking like at the Rutledge Ranch this morning:

No one was awake before six, it is now almost noon, and everyone is still in their pajamas.  Other than a few regrettable circumstances (Barry Manilow singing “Never Gonna Give You Up” on the Today Show, a coffee flood, a broken toaster, and too much time elapsed before Joey became caffeinated), we have had a nice morning.  And we haven’t spent a dime.  I should say here, though, that in the above picture Joey is at one of his computers, plotting out his afternoon strategy.  He wants to get a head start on his Christmas shopping.  And by “his Christmas shopping,” I mean Christmas gifts for himself, of course.  Hey, works for me.  After a long series of incorrect gifting attempts, I surrender, and I hope self-Santa brings him just what he wants.

Regarding Christmas gifts, I figured that since Danny’s birthday and the corresponding gift avalanche just happened, we just wouldn’t really so much do Christmas gifts for him.  But then I remembered that now he can do things like get excited, and open presents, and say something remotely like “Santa,” and stuff like that.  So I think we’ll have to throw a few things together to wrap up for him after all.  I’m glad I figured this out now instead of say, December 23rd or so.  Now I’ll have some time to think of something.  Thank heaven he’s still a little easier to buy for than his father.