More Christmas, Less Knitting

I guess I'm trying to drag myself into the range of the Christmas Spirit because I went downstairs and dug out the 1960s era Three Kings that Mom made at the ceramics studio and put them on top of the old computer desk,



 



put the Walgreens Charlie Brown Christmas Tree next to the kitchen TV,






and arranged the porcelain Nativity Set Mom made at the ceramics studio on top of the TV armoire (we don't have a mantel) where I called up the On-Demand Yule Log for atmosphere.  The Kings, camels, and camel driver are hiding behind the stable until it's their turn to visit the Baby Jesus.

When I got the newspaper off the porch this morning I turned on the lights of the Christmas tree even though I hadn't put any ornaments on yet (and still haven't) to see if being shamed by all the lights that were lit would induce the two branches of lights that wouldn't light last night to get with the program.  It worked!  I told Durwood about my shaming plan, went in there to check to see how it was going, and the lights were lit.  Now, there are a few burned out bulbs here and there but the stubborn lights from last night gave up the fight and are now glowing brightly like their compatriots.



I'm not sure how this happened but the squirrels haven't noticed the peanuts I put in the wreath the other day so the Bluejays have had free rein.  This bright fellow was very quick to nab a peanut and fly into the apple tree but stayed there to peck it open so I got his picture.  Gotcha!


December 17--Anonymous, Children Playing in Snow in Paris.  It isn't supposed to snow in Paris, at least not when I'm in Paris, but it was snowing and it was miserable.  You'd think Parisians had never seen snow before.  They slipped and fell.  They drove up onto the sidewalks or into each other.  Mot of the women wore high heels and stylish clothes.  None of them seemed to own warm winter clothes.  I might have looked dowdy by comparison in my wool slacks over boots, a down jacket with a scarf, hat and mittens but I was warm.

It's a gray dreary day but the city is very glad that #12 is back at the helm of the Green Bean Pickers.  They might even be winning; I haven't heard Durwood groan in a while.  I'm going to go... do something.  Later, dudes and dudettes.
--Barbara