Senior Christmas party

Three pretty sweaters

The three Senior Trailblazers groups had our Christmas party this morning, and I saw these three gorgeous ladies sporting their Christmas cheer for us all to enjoy. There were so many of us for this potluck, and we had an enormous amount of food that we managed to consume. Potlucks always make me eat more than I intend, but today I think I managed to walk out of the room without feeling stuffed. Partly that was because I wore a mask the entire time I was there. I woke up yesterday morning realizing I had a cold, with a runny nose and scratchy throat.

I gave myself a covid test, with my guy's invaluable help. It was negative, but I found out today that I should wait a few days and take it again, as it's possible the virus has not begun to shed. I was so pleased to see no positive results, and I do hope it will be the same tomorrow. Until I am sure it's just a cold, I'll continue to wear a mask in public spaces.

We did make a nice outing before the potluck, with ten of us walking on sidewalks and trails until we got to Squalicum Beach, a few miles away. In total we probably only walked a little more than four miles, but since it was lightly raining, and a feast awaited us at the Canterbury Court Apartments (where one of our members lives), nobody cared to make it a long one.

There were many more of us than this

I'm sorry that I neglected to get any pictures of the enormous spread. I was too busy socializing, and then eating and drinking, to notice it. I was surprised when I came home and looked at what I had taken: nothing of our walk, and no food pictures. I stand accused of having too good of a time to worry about such things.

Anyway, I sure did enjoy myself, and I look forward to many more hikes with these wonderful Senior Trailblazers! I am very lucky to have found these fellow travelers to share the wilderness with.  Life is good.

:-)

Super rainy day

Captured by Rita Eberle-Wessner

I wish I had taken this picture, but I didn't. It's from one of my favorite photographers and snagged from her Flickr account. I never fail to be captivated by the pictures she puts on her site, and I might one day try to emulate her gift. But first I need to buy a really expensive camera like she's got (a Canon EOS 5D). I did look it up but I would need to take out a loan to afford it. So, instead, I snag ones like her work, one that she just put up this morning.

I didn't hike today but instead walked to the automotive shop where my little Honda was getting a checkup and oil change. I also went to the Senior Center to attend the Zumba class, since the yoga class was full and I couldn't get in. But, just by chance, as I was explaining my situation to the staff, someone called and canceled her slot in yoga, so I grabbed it right up! I was very happy to switch, and I sure feel better after having attended. Plus, I was able to use the gym machines that I've been trained on so far: the abdominal crunch, the simulated rowing thingy, and the low back extender. I really like all three of these and look forward to being able to use more weights, as soon as I work up to it. I feel really happy that I have such a good Senior Center!

We have been experiencing a true atmospheric river, with many inches of rain having fallen here in the last couple of days, with more to come. Some rivers around here have overflowed their banks, but for us in Bellingham, it's just the massive puddles in the streets that one must navigate. And the rain has raised our temperature so much that I saw we are 17 degrees above normal. It makes the rain a little easier to deal with, although all this rain and warmth has melted our High Country snow. But it will return, probably in time for us to get into the Christmas spirit.

Christmas stars

With that, I'm heading off to rummage in my cupboards to find a little Christmas cheer to finish my day. Hope you're having a good (and not too busy) holiday season.

:-)

A cold and windy holiday

Snow looks like white blossoms

If I wasn't feeling so cold, I could really enjoy seeing Christmas being white and delightful. But yesterday, the day after Christmas, we here in Bellingham woke to 10°F (–12°C) and wind blowing 30–50mph, giving us a wind chill of –20! I didn't even attempt to leave the house for any reason, much less thinking about going out to breakfast with John. I called him on the phone and found that he, too, didn't leave the house all day.

But today, I got an early morning call from him asking if I'd like a ride to the coffee shop, and I of course said yes, since he would be driving his big ol' truck with huge tires and lots of weight to keep us safe. He showed up about 7:30 and we drove downtown, looking at all the snow and hearing the snow crunching under the tires, with nary a slippery slope to navigate. It was lovely, looking around at all the snow in dawn's early light. The skies had cleared, and the wind died down to nothing while we were out. Bellingham got anywhere from 4–15 inches, depending on your location.

The coffee shop, however, was closed. Nobody there, no lights on, and no idea why (other than the obvious one that nobody could make it in). We decided to head to Fairhaven and to Shirlee Bird's cafe, which has great coffee, and enjoy a good breakfast as well. And that's just what we did. We sat in the cab of John's truck because the frigid temperatures outside and all the snow on the ground meant it would be the warmest place to eat and drink. Delicious food, and once we were well caffeinated, John drove me home. 

The only task I have for today is to write this post and possibly go for a walk. I've fallen down on getting my steps during the holiday and miserable weather, but I figure I've banked a little backdrop of effort by not missing many days in the recent past. It's not good to do that very often, especially at my age, but it's definitely indicated that I should be careful out there. I'll wear my boots and strap on my microspikes to help keep me from slipping on the ice. With the right gear, it should be exciting. And relatively safe!

Hope you had a safe and delightful holiday, whether you gathered with friends and family or just stayed home. I watched a couple of movies and enjoyed hanging out with my guy. Watching the wind blowing snow into drifts while being inside, life is good.

:-)

Frosty Christmas week

Rose hips (Jessica Hamerski)

While looking for a picture to grace my Monday post, I found this lovely shot, taken this morning and posted on the Seeing Bellingham Facebook group. Jessica Hamerski captured what to me is a perfect Christmas scene, frosty red rose hips. I didn't even venture out to walk today, but I could have taken this myself if I hadn't been feeling so lazy.

It's definitely feeling a lot more like Christmas here, with the temperatures plummeting and the stores filled with shoppers. I went to the grocery store and was amazed at the numbers, then I remembered that it will be like this right up to Saturday, when many places will close for the holiday. I'm finally set for the duration.

It was very strange not going to the coffee shop this morning. I'm going to stay away for awhile, until the virus settles down a bit. My partner decided that, in order to get a good seal on his new masks, he needed to shave off his beard and moustache! It's been ages since I've seen him clean shaven, but I'm already getting used to it. Men can change their looks so much by simply changing their facial hair. And it's been decades that I've seen that bare face I love so much. 

We might actually have a white Christmas here, with our ubiquitous precipitation possibly becoming snow on Saturday! We'll see. At least I won't have to drive anywhere: no place will be open, other than Safeway where we found coffee on Thanksgiving. Maybe John, Gene, Lily and I will get together there, masked and socially distanced, of course. John's heavy truck should do just fine in a little bit of the white stuff. 

I'm hoping you are all staying safe and warm in your own happy places. It's the season to be celebrating, whatever your beliefs. In the words of a dear blogging friend, Merry EVERYTHING!

:-)

Our first snow of the season

Not much but quite pretty

It's been a couple of years since Bellingham has seen any lowland snow, but I think this year might be different, for a few reasons. One, the incredible amount of rain we've had so far (with more in the forecast), and knowing that it only needs to be a little colder (which is what happens during winter) for us to have the precipitation turn to snow. 

Today, when I looked outside before sunrise, I saw white stuff on the lawn and reflected in the outdoor lights, still on as the days have gotten so short. We are not far from the shortest day and longest night of the year: December 21, 2021 at 7:59 am PST. That's two weeks from tomorrow! And not long after that, the new year will begin and the holidays will be behind us.

I've been enjoying the holiday season very much so far. Even the ubiquitous commercials all clamoring for me to buy something haven't bothered me very much. That could be for several reasons, the most important being that at my age there is nothing much I need. Yes, I'll probably make a purchase or two, but I and my partner don't exchange gifts, and there are no children looking to me for anything. I remember how much I looked forward to Christmas when I was a kid. My sister and I would even search for where our parents hid the presents and try to find out what we were getting. I know it was wrong but we were unable to wait! I got pretty good at feigning surprise (smile).

Santa needs a boost

Walking to the bus this morning in the dark, I passed by this home that always makes an effort to decorate. I noticed that Santa and his reindeer were a little collapsed on the roof, probably from the weight of the snow, miniscule as it was. You can see on the lawn there was a mere inch of the white stuff. But then again, it's early December, with much more likely to come. I'll keep an eye on Santa.

:-)

Great Conjunction and the Solstice

Jupiter and Saturn

I was planning to write a short blog post about the solstice, which occurred locally this morning around 2:00am, but upon looking up some information about it, I learned about a truly rare event that will happen in the sky tonight: the close (appearing) conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn right around sunset. On this website, I found some interesting information:

This year's great conjunction also marks the first time in nearly 800 years since the planets aligned at night and skywatchers were able to witness the event. (The 1623 conjunction wasn't visible to skywatchers on much of the Earth because of its location in the night sky, so the last time the event was visible was in 1226.) 

Wow! That's a pretty rare event, all right. And because it is happening at this time of year, it is also called the "Christmas Star." If you want more information about this event, just click on the above link from Space.com. 

The winter/summer solstice happens annually, marking the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer south of the Equator. After today, our nights will slowly begin to shorten, and by the end of January, we'll be able to notice the difference. 

I love to pay attention to the sky, when there's actually a chance to see something other than rain pouring out of it. We're in the middle of a real gully washer right now, but it's supposed to stop and give us some sunshine for a few days. Do you know that phrase? Of course I looked it up:

When it rains in Oklahoma it mean rains you can drown in with your raincoat on. Oklahoma is where the gully washer was invented. Oklahoma is home of the original frog strangler. 

Oboy. Now I'm wondering about "frog strangler," but I'm going to leave it alone. This could go on forever!

:-) 

Holiday is upon us

Early morning light

 Walking around my neighborhood in the early light, I am seeing more and more really delightful decorations. Although you can't see the top of that inflatable helicopter (with a single blade that moves slowly), I stop each day to enjoy the happy decor. I did walk by in the afternoon one day and saw that the helicopter was deflated when all the lights are off. I almost didn't recognize the home, it looked so forlorn and unadorned. Fortunately, our long nights mean that most of the time the lights are on.

A vegetable Santa

I saw this wonderful edible Santa on our local gardening web page, and I was enchanted with it, even though I couldn't find anybody I could attribute it to. I used it anyway. Don't you just love those eyebrows? And his blueberry eyes, too. Someone had a lot of fun creating this guy.

Lake Padden, smooth as glass

Last Saturday, it was just my friend Chris and I who went twice around Lake Padden. We thought about going on the trails behind the lake, but neither of us is very familiar with them, so we decided we'd take our chances with the probability of encountering lots of other walkers. There were indeed plenty of them before we were done, but happily, EVERY ONE of them was masked. As we have entered a more strict lockdown, I guess people are abiding by the rules better than before. 

Chris recently bought herself a foldable kayak, and she realized that as smooth as this water was, she could easily navigate on the lake when it looks like this. We saw several kayakers, but they were moving too fast for me to catch them. No matter, I truly enjoyed the serene untouched water and reflections in this picture. I'm sure the day is not far off when Chris will launch her new kayak into this scene.

A friend gifted me with Jacquie Lawson's Advent calendar to be enjoyed every day from the first of the month through Christmas. I am taking great pleasure in it, and every day I must search the scenery to find a hidden gnome, which when I click on it, disappears and shows up in the virtual living room. There are also a dog and two kittens who are in different places every time I visit. And something new is added every day. It's a lovely and much appreciated gift.

And today, we in the US have received our first doses of the new vaccine to help us get the coronavirus under control. That is an especially welcome gift, since three hundred thousand Americans have already died from it. I am hopeful, today, for a brighter future.

:-)

The original Earthrise picture

From Astronomy Picture of the Day on Christmas Eve

This lovely picture of our beautiful planet was taken fifty years ago today, from the Apollo 8 spacecraft. Most of us have seen the original one called "Earthrise," but this was the first one taken, in black and white. It's been reconstructed in color, and shows the moon in the foreground and our gorgeous planet on the horizon. It's worth gazing at and considering how precious that blue ball is to everyone. The link takes you to some background about the picture, if you're interested in learning more.

I'm sitting here in my bed, reading the news, blogs, and actually writing my Tuesday post early, for a change, and considering how wonderful that blue planet is. Many good things are happening in many lives right now. I will be going out to one of the few places open on Christmas Day around here, to enjoy coffee and conversation with the usual suspects, just in a different place.

“December is full of the beauty of Light and love we can bring into our life.You can choose to be stressed or you can choose to let the small stuff go and be peaceful this Holiday season. It really is a choice you make.” ― Eileen Anglin

May your day be a wonderful one!
:-)

Holiday party and hike

Intrepid hikers today

Believe it or not, this large group of Senior Trailblazers showed up to hike six miles along the Lake Whatcom shore (Hertz Trail) before our annual holiday party. It was wild and windy, blustery with buckets of rain falling earlier, but by the time we started out around the lake, the rain had lessened considerably. In fact, for a while it almost stopped. We were in the lee side of the wind, so although it was still blowing, we were not much inconvenienced by it.

Melanie's pretty blue braids

We had plenty of time to enjoy the trip out to the turnaround point, and as you can see from this picture of Melanie, it was quiet and relatively dry at this point. This is one of our favorite easy hikes, flat with a nice trail (which had plenty of puddles today), because we knew that at noon we would be meeting at Dianne's house for our annual holiday party.

Looking out at the lake

Before we turned around to walk the three miles back to the cars, we did notice that the wind was no longer making whitecaps on the lake, so the wind shouldn't continue to be much of a problem. We discussed the weather forecast and that everything was going right along with the forecasts.

Big crowd at Dianne's

Some went home to change clothes or freshen up, and I went back to the Senior Center to renew my membership for next year and also remove some of my rain gear and make myself more presentable. By the time I got there, it was hopping, with all three of our hiking groups bringing lots of food to Dianne's home (that's her, the one on the left of the three red ladies). Her beautiful home managed to accommodate around sixty of us! That's more than we've ever had.

Downstairs room

The entire place was overflowing with people and plenty of us found some room downstairs, where she had set up a spare table. Her home is incredibly comfortable and we were thrilled with her generosity to open it to all of us.

Desserts galore

And oh the food! We had tables groaning with every kind of dishes. This is the dessert table, but there were also lots of salads and quiche dishes, and it seemed impossible we could finish it all. We made a valiant effort. That pretty heart-decorated cake was made by Kirk, a flourless gluten-free chocolate cake, and I brought a piece home for later, since I couldn't find any more room in my stomach, but I still wanted it.

Hikers filling their plates

We partied on for several hours, and then finally made our goodbyes and went off to enjoy the rest of our day. It turned out to be a magnificent and bountiful party, with the best company in the whole world! Thank you, Dianne, for being a delightful hostess in the most splendid spirit of the season. Merry Christmas, everybody!
:-)

Lovely outside today

Christmas decorations along the boulevard

This morning I woke to moderate temperatures and didn't even need to scrape ice off the windshield before setting out to join the ladies for our Saturday walk. It's at least 10-15 degrees warmer than it was this time yesterday.

We walked from Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park up the Taylor Street hill, and I struggled up the steepness of it, huffing and puffing and watching the backs of most of my companions get farther and farther away. But then we were at the top, down the hundred-some stairs, and had an easy, nice walk back to our starting point. At this time of year, locals like to decorate the trees and bushes along the boulevard like this. That's part of our group on the left.

There's only a little more than two weeks before Christmas, and even the old grinches like me are beginning to get in the spirit. It was delightful to spend time with each other in the coffee shop afterwards, with lots of laughter and camaraderie. Life is good.
:-)

Grey winter skies gone for awhile

Frosty lawn

Well, we finally had a hard freeze. My friend Melanie took this picture yesterday morning: it was 24°F and about that cold again this morning. For the entire coming week, our temperatures are going to be frigid, because of a high pressure dome over the region. It means no rain and sunny skies (not even clouds), making it very cold. Not only overnight, but the temperatures during the day will continue to be below normal.

Considering how mild it's been up until now, our first real wintry blast has been a bit of a shock. I've stopped watering my front porch flowers, and they all look a little worse for wear. But hey, last I checked, it's December and it's supposed to happen!

In some ways, it makes it a little easier to hear the constant Christmas music everywhere I go. Now the holiday seems imminent. It was crazy to hear that same music before Thanksgiving had even occurred, but now... I'm going to be fine with three more weeks of it. Our Trailblazers holiday festivities are a week from Thursday, which is the only party I never miss. It's a good thing, too: my waistline can't take too many, since my ability to resist delicious goodies goes way down at this time of year.

:-)

Yuletide greetings

Our Saturday walkers this morning

Today we ladies met on a crisp morning at the gazebo behind Barkley Haggen's store, which is all decked out for the season. I was especially happy with the wonderful variety of colors we all wore. I was behind the camera, but in this picture, everyone looks as happy and ready for our five-mile walk as I was. (There is a male in the picture, Riley, Linda's dog.) A few more walkers joined us after the picture was taken, so we had around twenty in all. Men are more than welcome, but somehow they just don't keep coming back.

Two ravens

My friend Melanie sent me this Christmas card and I just had to share it, I love it so much. I hope you like it, too. If I were a sender of cards, this one would be my choice, so consider it sent from my home to yours.

Tuesday is the big day, the second cataract surgery, and I'll be posting again to let you know I'm home and all's well. I hope, anyway. In the astrology world, when Mercury is retrograde (as it is right now), things sometimes don't work out as planned. Fingers crossed for a good outcome.
:-)

Leo has turned eight

Ready, set... blow! 

Sunday was my friend Leo's eighth birthday. The weekend before, he had a party for others in his age group, but this past Sunday, his actual birthday, was reserved for the grownups who love Leo and have been coming to his parties since he was, well, an infant.

Do you remember your eighth birthday? I don't, and even though I asked all of us who were there on Sunday if they remembered theirs, nobody did. It was an awfully long time ago, but still. You only have one. The earliest that I remember was when I turned ten. But that's another story.

Sitting on Santa's knee

My friend Gene was one of the other adults, and he arrived in his Santa hat. He has an actual Santa suit, but with his totally cool beard, I asked for a picture and this is what I got. He said I had to sit on his knee, so I did. He didn't ask me what I want for Christmas, but that's because I've got absolutely everything I ever wanted already: wonderful friends of all ages, health, and loving family members both near and far. Who could ask for anything more?
:-)

Trailblazers annual Christmas party

The group who met at the trailhead for a WET hike

Can you believe that twelve of us met at the trailhead for a six-mile hike in the rain before our annual Christmas party? I was a little surprised that I wasn't the only one. It was a gentle rain that met us at the trailhead, and after we set out, happy that the rain was so light, we realized that the farther we got from the starting point, the heavier the rainfall. The only person who was happy about it was Rich, in his rain skirt, hoping to shake out the final glitches for his rain gear. I'll bet you can pick him out fairly easily in this group.

Dark, wet, and colorless Lake Whatcom

Rain, rain, and more rain. I was soaked to the skin by the time I returned to my car after a six-mile hike. I went straight home to change and to pick up Smart Guy so that we could join everybody at Jacqueline's home for our annual Christmas party. Plenty of people showed up who didn't go on the hike, and we dug in to a fabulous potluck feast.

Plenty of wonderful food for a hungry crowd

Oh my! I enjoyed perhaps a half-dozen different salads, some fine rice dishes, along with wine and mead to complement our feast. And then there were the desserts, some of which I enjoyed with abandon. Doug brought his homemade incredibly good  blueberry pie. He made it from scratch, including the pie crust. Take a look here:

Chef Doug with his blueberry pie

I have to tell you that his pie not only looked wonderful, but it was, in every respect, just right. Not too sweet, perfect crust, and large enough to give almost every one of the thirty or so of us who were there a taste of it. I went back for seconds, but it was gone.

Carol, Chris, and Ginny chowing down

We enjoyed our wonderful party at host Jacqueline's home, and then we went back into the rain and to our own warm and cozy spots to finish out the day. It was truly a fine day, even if it was a little bit on the wet side. Maybe next week we'll get a  break.

:-)

Another unpleasant day out there

Christmas wreath at the Farmers' Market

When I rolled out of bed this morning, I didn't hear any rain on the roof, so I was optimistic that the walking group might beat the projected rain. The forecast said that the rain would most likely hit Bellingham around 9:30am. Since we meet at 8:00, I hoped we'd escape the worst of it.

By the time we started walking, more than a dozen women, it was sprinkling lightly but it wasn't too bad. We walked for an hour and a half, and by the time we finished our brisk walk around the harbor and back, we were pretty soaked. The wind began to blow, hard (we've got a high wind watch until late tonight), so it's probably accurate to say we were sure glad when we finished and sat down in the coffee shop where it is warm and dry to drink our lattes, coffee, and espresso drinks. Nice indeed.

By the time we got up to leave, we donned our rather wet outer clothing with a grimace or two. It wasn't much fun but we had no choice by then. I pulled my raincoat hood snug around my head and set out for the Farmers' Market. There are only two more days before it closes for the season: today and next Saturday. I'll try to make it both days just to see all my favorite vendors one more time before they return again in April.

The wind was blowing pretty steadily, and the rain continued to fall. Well, not exactly fall; it was coming sideways into my face, making me wish I had windshield wipers for my glasses. The holiday spirit was strong at the market, though, and I wandered through and bought a few things before heading back to my car and returned to my nice warm home.

Meditating amidst the Christmas cacophony

Now that I am toasty warm and ensconced in my easy chair, I'm not likely to venture out again today. Tomorrow is supposed to be better, so I am trying not to lose my holiday cheer during this frightful windy, wet weather. May you also stay warm and dry.
:-)

Getting ready for Christmas

Remembering when

When I was a kid, I loved Christmas and all the presents (receiving them mostly), the tree and decorating it, all of that. But today I only remember a few of the presents I received. Although I don't remember them, I sure do remember the anticipation and all the fun of wondering just what was in that package with my name on it.  Every family has its own way of celebrating the season.

One of my favorite Christmas pastimes was to push the presents out of the way and lie down under the tree, looking up at the lights and smelling that delicious Christmas tree smell. Back then we also used tinsel, which reflected the lights in the most delightful way. I would scrunch my eyes up until everything blurred a little, and I can still see that image today. It looked a lot like this, but with more color:

Shamelessly snagged from the Internet

I've learned in my photography attempts that those lights in the background are called bokeh, out of focus and even possible to create with my iPhone if I really wanted to mess around with it. I was creating bokeh with my eyes, making a nice pattern of beautiful lights. And it's an image that has stayed with me to this day.

Well, I no longer have a tree to stick my head under, and there is no one to wrap and place mysterious presents underneath it, either. No matter; these days I get a great deal of pleasure by thinking of little gifts that would make my friends happy, and I'm getting in the mood. It makes me smile to think how much somebody might appreciate a set of hand warmers, only good for one use but sure nice to have for a chilly hike. Or a batik handkerchief, or a favorite Christmas cookie.

Yes, I'm definitely getting in the Christmas spirit! Hope you're having a good time getting ready for the holiday, too.
:-)

Christmas Eve

Taken on a snowshoe trip to the High Country

Everywhere across the world, there are children who are excited about their presents and parents hoping to get everything just right. If I were Queen of the World, I would proclaim that every child would go to bed tonight with a full tummy and that there would be peace in the entire world. That's my wish.

A few years ago, 2009 to be exact, I wrote a post about a long-ago Christmas Eve in my family, and I am sharing it with you here again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
One year when I was home visiting my parents and siblings for the holidays, my sister Norma Jean and I went to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. I think I had been married for some time and away from home for awhile, but I really don't remember when it was for sure. My parents had two distinct families, and the youngest three were all six or under at this time, while Norma Jean and I were adults.

When we went out the door, Mama and Daddy had begun the Christmas Eve preparations for the young ones in the house (my brother and sisters) who had finally gone to bed. Daddy had begun to assemble a bicycle for our brother Buz, while Mama had to finish wrapping and putting Santa's gifts under the tree. It was a warm and happy scene. Off we went to Midnight Mass.

When we returned, the scene was anything but happy. The entire living room was scattered with glasses half-covered in salt (from partially consumed margaritas), and the bike was still only half assembled in the living room. The entire scene was, in a word, a nightmare. And our parents had stumbled into their bedroom and crawled into bed. Apparently in the midst of their tasks, some friends had come over to visit and our parents had gotten quite drunk and forgotten what tonight meant to their young children.

We were aghast. For a few minutes we wandered through the living room and kitchen and wondered what to do. We decided that we would be Christmas elves and fix things. Norma Jean set to the task of reading directions on how to assemble the bicycle, and I began to clean things up: we toiled for several hours before inspecting our work and calling it good. Norma Jean had learned how to follow arcane directions and actually put the bike together! (I was more impressed by this than I let on at the time.)

Well, in the morning the kids came downstairs to find that Santa had indeed come during the night, and that his elves had done their work quite well. It is one of the more satisfying Christmas memories that I share with my sister. We still smile about it. I had to write to Norma Jean to see if my memory of the event matched hers, and it pretty much did. She said,

Maybe that's where I got the start of loving the feeling of accomplishment when I read directions and put things together. . . . We cleaned up and set up the living room to be a real Christmas when everyone got up the next morning. It was certainly memorable.

Over the years, Christmas has lost much of its magic for me. I don't like what I see happening to Christmas these days, but I am sure that there are still many parents, and Santas, and elves, making things happen for others. (Oh, and by the way, I have forgotten what our parents' reaction to all this was, even though I am sure they appreciated the visit from the elves.)
:-)

Christmas cheer

A Santa who doesn't need a fake beard

Yesterday outside the coffee shop, our friend Bob took this picture of Gene and me, with the first snowfall we've seen in a couple of years here in Bellingham. Not much, but it's still sticking around a bit, even though the temperature reached a whopping 35 deg F yesterday. Some nearby places got a little more, but we had only two or three inches on the ground before it was all over. Gene hauls his Santa suit out and carries it around in his car at this time of year: you never know when a Santa might be needed.

Leo's birthday cake

Last Wednesday was my friend Leo's fifth birthday. I've known him since he was six months old, and this year I was invited to attend his party. He asked his mom for a rainbow sherbet cake with cherries on top. It was simply fantastic, along with the smoked salmon his dad had prepared, not to mention his homebrew. It's been a week of parties, food, and lots of celebration. Another week of the same lies ahead, but most of the parties I don't miss are behind me now.

I will leave you with a wonderful two-minute-long Simon's cat video from YouTube. It's three years old, but I never fail to enjoy seeing it several times a season. Enjoy!
:-)

Easy hike, fun party

Lake Whatcom hiking group (picture by Mikey)

It was pretty frigid this morning, when eleven Senior Trailblazers headed out to Lake Whatcom to make an easy out-and-back of six miles total, before attending our annual Christmas party. It's one I wouldn't miss on purpose. The temperature never got above freezing, so we walked at a pretty brisk pace to keep warm. We knew that we wouldn't be stopping for lunch, since we had all brought something to share for the party at Amy's house.

Comparing our long underwear

A discussion emerged on the trail about what we had decided to use to stay warm under our hiking pants, and I was amazed at the variety: polyester, silk, wool, in varying thicknesses. (I'm wearing the pink ones.) We finished around noon, with the sun making a brief appearance before we got back to the cars. This was the best shot I got of the lake, and it shows the sky beginning to clear.

Lake Whatcom

We made our way over to Amy's house to join her and the twenty-some other Trailblazers and family who gathered for our annual potluck. The food was simply amazing, but none of my pictures were in focus or got anywhere to capturing the incredible variety we enjoyed. Many of us dressed up a bit; Karen made herself this incredible jacket, each individual piece, and then put it all together and lined it with silk. I was so impressed!

Karen's coat of many colors

This picture is the best I got of the table. Just picture this food times ten, and you've got an idea of how much we had to eat. Plus we had beer, wine, juice, and coffee. We visited and ate until we couldn't hold any more, and then we helped Amy clean up.

Steve starting the food line

It was fun to see our fellow hikers and their partners, the spouses who stay home while we gallivant around the hills and dales of our beautiful country. In the winter, we stay close to home, but in the summer we get to see breathtaking vistas, which I try to capture on this blog. Today it was all about family, the kind you make from shared activities. Amy asked us to introduce our guests and she thanked us, one and all, for enriching her life with our presence. I feel just the same! And I was given a special thanks, along with a few others, with this gift:

More than a pound of chocolate!

What a fine gift! I think I will be waiting awhile before I open this, since right now any food at all seems to be only remotely appetizing. It never fails that I eat more than I intend at these gatherings, but it was all so good! And I had to try everything, right? It was a great time, and now I can consider my job done for the day. (Will I ever be hungry again?)
:-)

Looking more like Christmas

Holly Street, early this morning

Bare branches on the trees, lighted snowflakes on the street lights, and being all bundled up against the cold, it's beginning to look a lot like... winter. And Christmas cheer, too! The downtown parking meters are all covered with plastic bags that say, "Happy Holidays," and until Christmas we don't have to feed them! Yesterday the bitter chill of the past two weeks let go a little, and the temperature actually rose above freezing, but not by much. Right now it's 33F, and it's 1:00pm -- not likely to get much warmer, but the nighttime temperature won't fall far, either. It should be raining by Thursday.

I will be going out to rescue my car today, once I get a call from the mechanic. It didn't break down or anything, but it was past due time to replace the timing belt on my Honda Civic. A friend of mine didn't replace his, and it broke. If that happens on a Honda, it means a new engine. So I decided to be proactive and spend the big bucks. I'm a little apprehensive about the cost, but it's definitely not something to let slide. Cars usually repay you by being reliable if you provide the upkeep.

In February, I will be visiting my sister in Florida. I figure by the time February rolls around, I'll really be wanting to see some Florida sunshine and bask in warmer weather. Plus it's always nice to spend time together. She will be taking me swimming with her every morning and I'll be jogging alongside her as she walks at her blistering pace of more than 4.5mph. Maybe she'll take pity on me now and then and slow down to my pace, 4mph. She sent me this picture, with the caption. That's her smiling son Peter, taken in their Florida back yard.

Season's greetings

I am beginning to get in the Christmas spirit and will start shopping for others soon. But in the meantime, I bought myself a Kindle Fire HDX, which should arrive tomorrow. One more gadget to add to the rest! I've never had a Kindle before, so I'm excited.
:-)