In our final pre-Christmas issue of Three Beautiful Things, we offer these up for your enjoyment:

1. Our friend Phillip gave us some beautiful gifts over the weekend — photos he took himself, mounted and framed. Rudi’s is of a D.C. bike race; mine is of Butterstick.

2. Maria, my boss, had no problem letting me work from home today so Rudi and I can head out a bit early this afternoon. I know myself and know that no matter how much I tried to get to work on time this morning, I wouldn’t have if I’d had to shower and dress before I left. The ability to work in my living room in my bathrobe lets me be on time and productive.

3. The Christmas package to my brother was mailed by the online shipper and I’ve been tracking it via the internet. The Post Office emailed me yesterday to let me know of its progress and my breath caught in my throat — it had been misdelivered to someone in Nevada! But then I realized it was just a weird coincidence — it was routed through a town in Nevada that shares our last name (minus a silent “a”). How freaky — but oddly wonderful — is that?