I received two parcels yesterday. The first was on my doorstep when I arrived home. I immediately took it inside, and proceeded to ignore a huge work project with a very rapidly approaching deadline so that I could open it. I unrolled a very large heavy sheet of paper to find a beautiful print, signed by the artist, of the Maryland state dinosaur (the astrodon) and the Maryland state fossil (the ecphora shell)... yes I do in fact know both of those off the top of my head. I just happen to live in Maryland and dinosaurs and fossil hunting just happen to be some of my very favorite things. I had to call a couple of my friends then and there to rave about how awesome and perfect the gift was.

I finally settled down to my work project (really spending more energy thinking about where I was going to hang the astrodon than the files in front of me). But wait, there was a knock at my door. Another package? Deadlines be damned, there was another parcel to investigate. I opened it thinking to myself "really, there's no way that this could be anything as awesome and perfect for me as that watercolor". I was wrong. I opened the package to find a t-shirt from the Eolian. The Eolian is an inn that exists in the world of Patrick Rothfuss. His King Killer Chronicles is one of the best series I have ever read. If you have never read it, give it a try; you won't be disappointed. Anyway if I had known this t-shirt existed I would have bought it years ago. I put it on immediately and wore it for the rest of the day. It is definitely my new favorite shirt.

I searched both packages to figure out the identity of my secret Santa, but both were sent anonymously. Whoever you are SS thank you!