Mele Kaliki Maha !

I got what I wanted this year...on November 4th, 2008.

Hawaiian Cowboy - Sol K. Brights Hollywaiians

Patriarch Pointing

Christmas Eve, 2007. My dad, pointing. Not sure why. (Maybe some wine instructions?) I covet the painting behind him. Always have. It's been in our family for decades. I think it's somewhere in the Tehachapi Mountains. We all had good fun. A bit subdued this year. Go figure. Being around my children made my holiday happy indeed.


For the first time ever, not a single gift was unwrapped. My father talked with us all beforehand about celebrating without the usual gift-frenzy this year. It felt so right. Not Christmas shopping was refreshing. A first. Family members exchanged cards and pleasantries. The children/grand children's cards contained money and/or gift cards. There was much more time to talk, laugh, and be together. Something that rarely occurs. Since my dad declared that cards were o.k., my silly man thought it might be funny to give each family member a deck of playing cards. We did. (I guess we did shop for those.) He has a strange sense of humor, which is only one of hundreds of reasons I love him. We supplied dessert again this year. He made the apple pies with our own Granny Smith apples. I made: fudge with and without pecans, gingerbread, sugar cookies-decorated-by-younger-daughter, and shortbread cookies with pine nuts, our own fresh rosemary, and Meyer Lemon zest. Never made the rum balls, but maybe they'll be New Year's rum balls. I am enjoying my holiday time-off immensely. No work until the 3rd of January. No school until the 7th. If I can only manage to NOT look at too much bad news, this break may provide a much-needed vacation for my raw psyche. More hot baths, less news. That's the way. Uh-huh.


Meanwhile, back at the Crawford Ranch...
Bush Signs $555 Billion Spending Bill I read a comment today about this latest expenditure. It stated that Bush must be held accountable, as should anyone who cast a vote in his favor.

Cool Yule

Our little tree is on the front porch. It presents too much temptation for our curious kitten this year. She loves to shred! We are off to the big city for the day and night. I wish all of my blog readers peaceful, lovely times. "Thanks for noticing me" (A favorite Eeyore quote)