The whole gang minus moi.

Pop-pop shows off his gifts!

Lovely cooks!

HAHAHAHA!!

Jillo makes me laugh! Plus, I love her ficus!

Woke up on and off several times as others were coming out and having breakfast. I heard A-man wake up and I was the first one to run and grab him. I told him Santa had come and we went and turned on the tree.

Everyone ate breakfast, and some of us showered. We had A-man open a few presents. The rest of the day was a blur of eating and on and off present opening. Santa (and my loved ones) were VERY SWEET AND GENEROUS. I love all my presents. By the time he was ready for bed, A-man had mostly gotten the hang of things. If someone said "Open" he would tear a strip of paper off and wait for help.

We got a call later in the afternoon, and Uncle P managed to join us for a couple of hours. We set off Crackers during dessert and all felt very English, wearing our paper crowns.

I am very tired, and must take Poppy to the airport at about 4:30 in the A.M. Good night and thank you!!

Santa's elf does good work!

There is more around the corner.

My first crab from its home.

Mammy and I got all packed up and had a very quick trip into the city. Thankfully, all the traffic was going the OTHER way. I have never seen the streets of SF so empty. We picked up the keys from the Homies, did a little gift giving, and gave them send off hugs. We then went to the grocery stores to pick up some CA goodies for Poppy's work folks. It was what I think of as the Xmas nightmare come true. People weren't too mean though...just pushy.

On the drive out of town the sun was bouncing off the ocean trying to prove how brilliant and huge it can be.

We got to S and B's and wrapped pressies and hung with the fam (very nice to have the TN contingent here!). We had seafood fest for dinner. We shared this with a very sweet neighbor from Peru who lost her husband a couple of weeks ago. I ate my first Dungeness crab from the shell tonight. It was pretty good, considering I don't normally dig on crab. I did skip the body, as the legs were about all I can handle.

I don't know what to say about Xmas. I still like all the parts I did when I was little, even if they aren't as magical. I like be challenged to be thoughtful and generous. I like it when I can give people things they want, need, or like. I totally know how Jillo feels, I'm just not there myself (yet?;-)).

I really wish I could be with ALL my people and squeeze, hug, and kiss them all.

I was really happy to see A-man tonight. He's so sweet!

Merry Whatever to all of you! Love, Moi!

Clothes take up lots of space.

Give us peace.

I read a book. It was an autobiography, The Moon's A Balloon, by David Niven. In it he discusses a theory about weeds. One should be slightly worried about your garden if it is perfect. (Or at least that's the way I remember it.)

Phone calls happened today. It looks as though, if everything goes smoothly, I will be in business in February. I have a lead on an apartment. Finally, Mr. Urbane called and said his X-mas present earned him $51. It makes me feel slightly uneasy to think things might work out well. I should drink more.

I sure hope all my loved ones are safe and sound, and enjoying the snow (if they have it). Also, maybe Jillo and the Homies can hook up in K-ville. Everyone can hug each other!

I sure don't know how I'm gonna cram all my stuff into Mammy and Pappy's. Night, night.

Ting, ting, ting.

Time warp.

Today has been mostly working on the New Years prep. More decorating, hanging holiday cards, etc. Mammy also managed to buy some "angel chimes" (a product of Sweden) just like we had when we were little. I, of course had to put it together and light it up. Mmmmm...nostalgia. Christmas is still tons of fun, but it has lost some of the magic it had when I was little. I think this is might be one reason people have kids, so they can see things they way they did when they were small?

The house is feeling quite festive now!

I am concerned, after looking at the weather, that J-bob might be getting a lot of snow. I sure hope he and the babies are staying warm!

I have been having a weird "I don't know who I am any more" day. It might be caused by too much nostalgia, but I think it is more likely that it is too much thinking. ;-)

Our cute little tree.

Yes, I was WAY up there at the top on a ladder!

Just the beginning.

Extended family X-mas party.

Homie Pumpkinhead and her Mama.

The winery where B's Xmas party was held. (the beginning of the missing pictures.)

A good view.

Opps. For two days I skipped writing. It just kept getting to midnight without me getting around to it. Not much happened. Mammy and I shopped the day away, and then drove up the hill. Yesterday was a bad day. Everything was off, and I didn't do a single thing without screwing it up or finding in COMPLETELY frustrating. Mammy and tried to run a bunch of errands. When we got home I took to the ladder and hung some lights in the windows.

I notice a large fire in the hills in the distance (easy to do when your pressed up against a window). I called 911. Poppy and I watched for a while, and after watching headlights come and go, we realized it must be a bonfire. The weird thing was when I called 911 the guy said some folks have "ceremonial fires" in that area. After some thought I realized they must have been having a solstice party or something. The fire went out just after midnight.

Today Mammy and I went and cut our own Christmas tree at a farm down the street. I swear this is more gratifying than just buying a pre-cut one, but I'm not super clear about why. We got it put up, and I got the lights on it. She is hanging ornaments as we speak. When we were driving around the view was great. For the last few days blankets of fog creep up and cover the valley. It is nice to be above most of it and then drive down into the strange light. It got me thinking that I might eventually get used to California's weird climate.

I have been having a few pangs for Tennessee. When I saw Jillo's picture and heard she was dining at the Tomato Head I positively yearned.

My brain has been cranking at 100MPH. I am having one of those times when I have NO idea what to do about most things in my life. I have fear, and as we all know, a life lived in fear is a life half lived. Oh, and I still love Northern Exposure.