esrosedotblog

HOLIDAY TREATS

We had a nice holiday.

Randy came over and stayed a few days. Always a pleasure. He is Franklin's DogFather.

We had presents for Franklin. He opens each package carefully; one at a time. First the paper, then the toy, some play. Then on to the next one.

No wild tearing and back and forth. He is a civilized guy.

We had some nice phone calls.

We had 'the dinner' on Saturday so we could go to a neighborhood open house. These guys opened up and asked all the neighbors up and down the street from them. We thought it was ballsy to do that. On a holiday and all. We even thought we would be the only ones there.

We were not. There was an almost 100% turnout.

I did my limited stay thing. I get freaked when there are more than 6-8 people so I get that many and then leave. Actually I sneak out. I see these people on my dog-walks and 'around'. Enough.

John stayed and reported in detail. It is second hand but much better than standing there nodding my head vacantly and wishing I was anywhere but there.

Introversion.

We went out and saw some lights. There is a guy who does the full monty every year and the monty gets fuller all the time. He is now up to five million lights. It is better than you would think. He is a scuptor and has many of his works in the mix. He uses castoff stuff like computers and vacuum cleaners and all to make his objet d'art. There are eight life size junk reindeer pulling a sleigh. Like that.

John and Randy made the pilgrimage to Minerva Street in the next town. It is a short avenue where everyone does the full monty and focuses more on the traditional creches and santas and 'displays'. Franklin and I sat that one out. We were over-amped and needed the hot spa and an early bedtime.

Otherwise it was pretty quiet.

Every year there is a hunt on for the genuine fruit stollen. Randy won this year. He found a copy of the hard compressed yeast rise raisin almond version in Long Beach. Mine was a bit puffier from our bread baker who does not always do the stollen. There was a mixed result on the 'best'. So we each had one of each.

I made mince pie this year. It is virtually unknown out here. But, I found the Borden premix in a jar. We put frozen non-fat vanilla yogurt on it.

Did I mention that the temps were around 80 degrees? No snow on the mountains at all. A desert holiday.

Have you read this far? Isn't this boring? Little pleasures. But they add up to a nice time.

Treats.