Thank God, It's Over! But Some Good Moments...

On the way to the basement

Christmas is over--thank God, and hallelujah!  The single box of decorations and ornaments I threw around the house is on its way to the basement. 

The days of mindless eating (primarily chocolate) are also over--my weight is up 6 pounds since October.   I kept telling myself, "You're going to have to diet this off, and it's going to be hell," but I ate anyway:  See's candy, Buche de Noel, tiramisu, double chocolate pound cake, pie.  Among other things.

Highlights of the season:

A visit from Raylan, age 13 months, son of Jerry's former student Dan and his wife Michelle.

Raylan

 

 

 

Why do babies insist on wedging themselves into tight places?

 

 

My friend Debbie visited from southern California, where she lives on 2-1/2 acres in the desert.  She  makes quilts but has access only to Joann's, so we went to two fabric stores in Berkeley (also two yarn stores because she knits).  She set up Roku for us (we're in the 21st century!) and made a delicious pie:

About to go into the oven:  Apple and cranberry pie. 

Christmas dinner was at my sister's house in San Jose, which featured loud conversation and raucous laughter with my friend Suzanne and my sister's neighbors, Rick and Jack.  Always a good sign.

And gifts:  I gave Jerry a list of things I'd like, and once again--this is the formula!--he so likes the customer service people on the phone at Nordstrom that he bought everything on the list that came from that store.  Here's a favorite:



 

A carnation-strewn robe that replaces my Hag Suit, a $20 red velour robe from Target that's at least 10 years old.



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And then there's the Tale of Jerry's Shoes.

He wears one style of Rockports, chocolate-brown suede, day in and day out.  The current pair was looking shabby:

So I ordered another pair from LL Bean for Christmas.  According to my notes from last Christmas, I'd given him this pair just a year ago.  (He's hard on shoes because field work can happen at any time and under any conditions.)

He opened the gift at my sister's house on Christmas Day.

"Do I need shoes?"

My sister and me:  "Uh, yes."

He inspected the tread on the old pair.

"I guess these are kind of worn," he said.

"Those are from last Christmas," I said.

"No way," he said.

My sister and I exchanged looks.

On the way home in the car, it dawned on me that there was a possibility he'd gotten a new pair last Christmas that he'd never worn.  Could there possibly be another new pair of Rockports in his closet?

Yes.

Two pairs of new shoes

Somehow it was my fault that I hadn't told him that he had that pair squirreled away.  He carried the forgotten box into my studio, completely unabashed and unrepentant. Even proud of himself (why?).

He really liked his new "Golf Buddy," a GPS gizmo that tells you how far you are from a green on the golf course.  The only problem is that it's so tiny that we agree it's just a matter of time before he loses it.  (He lost his wedding ring in the parking lot of a golf course one day years ago and some other golfer, no doubt a man, found it and turned it into the pro shop.)

 

* * * * * 

 

These knit hats and scarves were a huge hit at the Pantry a few days before Christmas.  A big treat for the first nine clients.  I offered them conspiratorially, from under the table,  when they checked in, and clients were only too happy to be discreet about them (not enough for all).

If you're a knitter and you want to do a good deed for next Christmas, scarves and hats are very welcome.

 

Happy New Year!