A little gratuitous Dora for you, as we start our day.
Last night, out walking, I took some photographs of lit-up houses around the neighborhood: a variety of decorating styles, always of interest as we make our way around the streets in the dark. But then, the houses in the neighborhood present a striking variety anyway --- walking around looking at them entertains me endlessly, all year round. Here are a few:
It was pretty cold out last night, and is still below freezing this morning. The high, though, is almost 60F, so it'll be another pleasant day.
Some progeny arrived last night after we'd gone to bed --- I imagine I'll see them at some point today. My husband bought a 30-cup coffee urn, which was a good move, and I have got the coffee up and going this morning. I'm drinking out of one of the Artgirl's cicada-wing mugs and enjoying myself in the quiet.
Shortly I'll get myself dressed and ready for the day. Today I really, really do need to wrap gifts, just to get them out of my room and under the tree, and reconsider my grocery situation. I've made two trips, but keep panicking that there's some crucial ingredient I don't have. Tonight we're all going out to dinner. Tomorrow will be some kind of meatless something --- I need to get some pasta and make mac-and-cheese, maybe. I thought I still had some, because when do I ever not have pasta on hand, but it seems that we've eaten the last at some point, and I need to lay in more. Saturday night will be a chicken-and-mushroom pie with puff pastry. Sunday: this fiskesuppe I keep going on about, plus a Scandinavian-themed finger-food tray. What don't I have? What don't I have? I just keep imagining that at some point people will be looking at me wanting food, and I'll be drawing a blank. It'll help, I think, to sit down with the girls, who are sensible, and talk through what else we might need that we don't already have in the house. They've already said they'll make cookies and egg nog, which will provide a lot in the way of nibbles. But I do need to acquire more crackers (the edible kind, not the pull-for-a-joke-and-toy kind --- missed the boat for the latter this year, alas).
Wearing:
*Wool& Maggie dress (small long) in Aegean Teal
*Secondhand Eddie Bauer cotton cardigan in whatever they call this plummy purple color
*Secondhand Allbirds navy merino-tencel-lyocell leggings
*Darn Tough Socks (unseen)
*Xero Tari boots
Simple and easy. I might put on another layer under my coat to walk the dog, but then again, maybe not. The sun is shining, and I'll warm up fast.
Unrefreshed Day 2 hair, because I couldn't be bothered. Just embracing the straight today.
Early afternoon: all gifts wrapped (well, placed in recycled gift bags and tied with bits of red gingham ribbon) and under the tree. That's one big thing DONE.
The Artgirl's boyfriend sent her a dead eel in a jar for Christmas. She is delighted. Just when you think romance is dead, turns out it's not --- it's just a little stranger than you had imagined. We all anticipate a whole Eel Stage in print and ceramic media.