Out and About ~ Looking for Santa

Merry Christmas! I don't think I will ever be to old to be excited by Christmas. The suspense and activity, all the preparations enchant me. I'm like a 5 year old child, whatever will Santa bring me this year!? I admire folks who do giftless Christmas, but it's not for me, not my tradition. I love presents! Sure my kids give me odd and generally very practical gifts---remember the new broom!? And the computer printer, a new phone, snow pants, UGGs, and my beloved red REI Gortex jacket? I love the things my kids and friends give me, but what I especially love is seeing the wrapped gifts under the tree.

Mo and I have been enjoying the Christmas lights. I told him that's so Santa can find us!

Mo had a bath the other day, so he'd look lovely for Santa's visit. He was a good boy. Bribed with a Christmas treat from Sherry the Groomer, three!! chew treats.

And Mo has been a very good sport allowing me the fun of dressing him up for the hols. So funny, I clearly recall when my kids rebelled against wearing holiday outfits! I think my son was only 3 or 4 when he said No! He really hated that handknit Rudolph sweater and red corduroy pants, hahaha.

Solstice sunset last week.

 Visiting friends.

Here he is in his red long johns PJs! Need some quick alterarions

Mo says, "I'll just snuggle here naked and wait for Santa. I was good, wasn't I , Mommy?''  The cream sherpa blanket is his big gift, he already got it during the cold snap earlier this month. It has pompoms! My sweet little companion and friend, yes he is very very good. [I've forgiven him for the garbage bin fiasco and I never tattled to Santa even!]

Unlike my children, Mo doesn't have the concept of ugly Christmas sweaters, he likes his red Rudolph sweater!

Elmer Fudd hat!

The food is prepped the house is PERFECT! Tomorrow it may rain so that's my last chore, to sweep and wash the entrance way.And maybe wash the windows, depends on the rain.

Just now I set out new holiday candles, put the white slipcovers back on, all fresh and white. We will celebrate on Christmas Eve. My friend put a fun bottle of wine in my fridge, Summer Blush, Pindar Winery, how fun! The menu is a massive antipasto, consumed while presents are opened, then we'll have eggplant parm, special pasta brought from Italy, a gift, and sauteed broccolini with garlic, lemon and parm. Dessert is the infamous GF cookies, garnished with fresh berries. And I bought myself a very small bottle of my favorite Grand Marnier, so I, like Kit in her comment, can sip ''whiskey and enjoy the Christmas lights''.

Merry Christmas, dear friends!

love 

lizzy  

gone to the beach...

PS Two interesting ocean sights: A trio of red tankers anchors offshore here every weekend-- Maersk is what their sides say. Russian? Anyway, they have Christmas lights on the huge ships [6 football fields long!]. So pretty.

And this morning I woke up to excitement. Some sort of helicopter rescue, with a big fishing boat. The heli hovered for ages, an hour? When I came back from walking Mo the helicopter and the ship were gone. I hope all was well....

The helicopter was huge! Look at the white circle of water it is churning up.

Cheers!