​Gwen and I took the kids to the mall for a payday treat. The twins shared one of those nasty orange drinks, Kirk spent some time in the arcade, and as usual, we all found our way to the Woolworths where we could actually afford to buy things.

I play Santa the year after Dad leaves. I’m fifteen. Older sister Nancy and Mother insist.

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​Welcome to my house! It’s a one-story cottage clad in lumpy stucco, white with gray trim. The Tuscan columns on the front porch help with the southern exposure. And they add a touch of class, don’t you think?