As Dishesdone used to say "Happy Everything to Everyone, and a Merry Always!" Merry Christmas to everyone here, and I'm wishing you a healthy and happy New Year. Annie

Merry Christmas to all. Julia, too have spent my fall vigorously working to recover from the time off. It is still not finished, but I will try to post a couple of photos to show the mess that the back was in. and here is a more recent photo: still not finished but much of it is done...spring will be another work and I am getting very much along in years too. I have cut down and hauled over over a hundred little saplings. mostly oak or Mimosa but a maple or two and one magnolia tree. (courtesy of the birds.) The stumps are all painted with Remedy so they will not return. In Alabama, and I am sure it happens in other southern states as well, weeds, grass, trees, etc will grow very thickly if not managed constantly. My husband can no longer do any yard work other than grass cutting where the land is clear, so I had better stay well this year. Anyway, this is what I have been doing in November and early December. kay

I still bake my mom's traditional christmas pasteries, but we stopped exchanging gifts several years ago. The young people all have little kids to get presents for and my generation already has everything we need (except energy). I did buy myself a couple of things and then my sister dropped off two gifts. One from her and one from Annie (her standard poodle who I dog sit on occassion.) Annie often gets me little gifts. My one friend who lives in California was going to be alone on Christmas Day and had also gotten two small gifts, so we decided to talk on the phone while we unwrapped our gifts so we had someone to share with. The first gift I unwrapped was a soap infused bath scrubby by Spongelle (From the dog) My friend opened her first gift - a soap infused bath scrubby by Spongelle! She then opened her second gift - a travel pillow! I opened the gift from my sister who had said she knew we weren't supposed to exchange gifts, but she could not resist buying this: A pillow! Couldn't believe that we both got the same gifts, albeit her pillow was not as charming as mine.

Merry Christmas to you all, also! We had our second ever Christmas in our own home! While our parents were living we always traveled to Arizona to spend the holidays with them. Now we are the "older" generation! Our son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter came on Christmas Eve for prime rib dinner, presents and games. It was wonderful. Her parents and siblings are here, also, so Christmas day was lunch and presents at their house. We had beautiful weather (for Colorado) - it was 55F, so I took a walk while DH finished putting together his new computer (Christmas present) and I took a long walk. After leftover dinner, we took a drive around town to see Christmas lights. It was lovely! Today DH had hernia surgery so it's a quieter evening - but he is doing great. Sue