Still singin' that song

You know, the one that wails:  "oh, oh what I want to know -oh - where does the time go?????"

Wasn't it just December?

Didn't Mimi and I just go out looking for inspiration for decorations?

 Weren't we just yesterday thinking about getting ready for Christmas?

 Surely a whole month hasn't gone by since the Christmas concert?

 And the cards - are they really all sent?

 The decorations all taken down now...

 the last of the goodies gone?

 Christmas eve was surely just a day or so ago --

 and Christmas morning?

Not very long ago.

 The company?

How the time flew when they were here!

All safely back home already -

 the mystery mansion game completed,

 the special Christmas plates put away -

how did this happen?

What I want to know is:

Where did the time go?????

Furry company

"Don't forget about us"

"We came visiting too!"

"We made it into most of the pictures, didn't we?"

"And if we weren't right there in the picture of someone sitting at the table...

we were right underneath -- just in case something fell."

"There was a lot of sitting around but that's okay, we got a lot of petting."

"and there were nice soft places to nap while we waited for the family to DO something."

And then, it's Christmas!

Hooray!  The Gang's all here!  

Christmas Eve

Gift giving began early on Christmas Eve.

Granddad was delighted when his caregiver arrived with surprises for him -  and he had one for her as well.  Being the impatient sort he'd wanted to give it to her way back in October when he first thought of it --it was with great difficulty that I kept him back until the 24th.

In keeping with family tradition, he adorned his head with ribbon - "You can call me Curly" he said.

Later HoosierKitty and Mimi arrived for dinner and a tray of goodies

and Granddad even roused himself to tell a story or two.

We didn't have our usual Christmas Eve open house,

but we were thrilled when little Rose, who has been coming to our house on Christmas Eve since she was born, arrived with the next generation - Little Cece, we hope to see you for many Christmas Eves to come!

Working our way up to the main event

Things progressed towards the 25th.

One day I took lunch over to Mimi's for an excuse to use her holiday plates.

She also had a rack of Charles's ties and I picked out some to share.

Another day I was delighted to attend a Cookie Party at Johnson's Meeting House - oh just look at that yummy festive table!-

hosted by the fabulous Dharma and her people.

And then there was the big deal day...

when the kitchen was full of power tools and a careful craftsman

and the hole that disgraced the cabinets for over a year was replaced with these marvelous drawers!

Oh yes, we're getting closer and closer.

As you have come to expect...

January finds me reviewing December.  Parts of December went far too fast, but what a lot we did in a short time!  There were weeks of preparation.

 While Granddad had a caregiver, there were trips out to the greenhouse, grocery stores, bookstores and even a trip to walk around downtown.

 When we were at home, we worked hard to get everything ready...cleaned and polished and put things away.

 Then there were the cards to prepare, the block to cut,

 the cards to print,

the coloring and addressing and writing and mailing to get greetings out to all of you.

 Not too much baking, but some...and the traditional spice tea to brew.

Then, the decorating! The stockings hung, the tree trimmed, the candles in the window, presents wrapped...

at last we were ready for the holiday!

The decorations begin

So our Christmas decorations are a little....delayed.  All the more reason to enjoy all the decorations that other people have displayed!

Here, for example is a wagon full of gifts at May's Greenhouse.  The Accommodating Man and I went to May's to pick out the perfect wreath, an expedition expedited by Mimi, who couldn't go herself.

Here it is on our door:  simple, natural, and wonderfully fragrant.

Uh, too bad the overgrown hedge with the foot of snow on it makes it hard to see from the road.

And the ice on the sidewalk means no one should actually walk up to the front door to smell it.

Still, I know and now you know it is there.

Candles in the window, wreath on the door -- slowly, slowly we're getting ready for Christmas!

The After Christmas Bookstore Trip

What could be better after Christmas than a trip to a book store?

Especially when you find just the right books...

and just the right game.

Can't wait to start reading.

Oh - has everyone else finished eating and left?

This is a really engaging story!

A cold snowy afternoon with a new book -

the perfect after-Christmas activity!

In which I get what I wanted for Christmas:

Which was the house full of family and dogs...

and everyone posing for the traditional picture around the box lid with the date on it.

(including the Boston Gentleman's impersonation of the Hound of the Baskervilles)

Hastening along: 2001! 2002!

 Oh, I can't keep up with this!

2001 hurries by...

I've now scanned hundreds of pictures.
Lots of great faces, sweet smiles, goofy looks.

 There's a dinner at Mimi's

 and another Christmas Eve party






and some more wonderful snow.

 2002 shows the kids getting bigger (as expected)

 people are still putting

things on their heads  (also as expected)

and these two guys are bemused at the family they find themselves in.