Good Christmas Night

I really want to write but need to rest. Right now we're in car from Christmas feast in Hermon to Belfast. 

Some snaps of Figgy and her cousin Taylor and of Fig with Punch and their cousin Izzy. These are happy shots and we have happy memories. 

Missing: Snaps of cranky 8-year-old [not enough candy in her stocking was one thing she blurted out, and it's true, Santa did fall off on that] and momentarily sullen 20-year-old. Those are the pictures we do not take! But thankfully, when parents keep steady, the bad moods seem to pass. I hope I summon the energy and wherewithal to write tomorrow! Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Taylor and Figgy today.

Taylor and Figgy back when, on the Beaver Tail in Belfast.

Girls.

Santa Elf Is Sleepy

Sweet dreams. Xo

Fog Horn: One Morning in Maine

Dance-of-the-Sugar-Plum-Fairy Christmas Tree

Look at my gorgeous little traveling tree in a silvery cache pot! I went to Bartlett's yesterday to get a flower basket for our sitter and my friends who run the place gifted me with this tree. I am so touched and so grateful. It came with tiny, twinkling blue battery-powered lights. I'm proud to report that I even remembered to bring my silver polishing cloths and shined up the beautiful long Ippolita chain with turquoise and mother of pearl stones that H. gave me up in Maine a few Christmases back. The metal was black so I haven't been wearing it. Now I draped it over my mini tree! 

Good night from Fireside Inn & Suites in Belfast, Maine. It's rainy out there over the field and the bay but we are snug and warm in this spacious, clean pet-friendly room with Sug. We got a second room for Punch and Figgy to share but Figgy is writing and Punchy is curling up here for the night. Truthfully, I think she wants to be in the room with Sug and the tree but she keeps calling Figgy to bring her princess pillow, cow pillow from Nikki, etc.

Punchy's Miss Warren, her helper angel at school, gave Punch a gift and Dan and me an air popcorn popper with popcorn, seasonings, etc. We used it in the hotel! Another traveling touch of home.

On Christmas Eve, we are having dinner at Pat & Martha's and sleeping over at H.'s brother John's, so Santa can find us. Sweet dreams.

TCOY

1. Maine water.

2. Ate a tangerine.

3. Good dental care.

Heading to Maine

The good part will be being in Maine and seeing our family. The bad part will be driving 450 miles [about 8 hours] to get there. I'm tired and getting up at 7 to sneak gifts into the car, pack etc. Good night. Today was a big TCOY day.

TCOY

1. Dental cleaning and exam.

2. Salon blowout, though rainy day interfered.

3. Doctor checkup! Proud that I kept this appt because it's hard to face the music. The pretty young doctor, mom to a baby, wore lovely ballet flats and dangling amethyst earrings. "New year, new you," she said. Encouraged me to make lifestyle changes that will lead to a healthier weight, which also helps w sleep apnea. She asked if I drink soda and juices and I said no. We talked about how you can't cut out all treats but have to have in moderation.

4. Topped 12k steps on my Fitbit--walked Sug around block and walked around town to appts.

5. Got to see the Mernin family!

6. Picked up my Rxs.

7. Went to Bartlett's on Grove Street in Clifton for floral Christmas gift for dear sitter, Elaine, and love and hugs from my friends there.

Christmas Kitchen

Warm snickerdoodles, peppermint sticks, mugs of hot tea because now 3 of us have a chest cold. Punch home sick today. Long day 

TCOY

1.Over 10k steps on Fitbit. Walked to and from Private Benjamin.

2. Tea & water.

Sinking into Sofa to Catch a Classic

H. coasted and found the old [but colorized] "Miracle on 34th Street" just now on TV. But Punchy has been totally wired ever since she returned from Mimi's about 6 p.m. We lit Christmas candles, she blew them out. We saved a couple ornaments for Figgy to add to the tree and Punchy swiped them and put them up. She couldn't settle down, kept jumping out of bed. Finally, H. had to lay by her side so she could fall asleep.

I'm frustrated, too. It has been hard to find a date/time after Christmas when Sis, Figgy, Punchy and I can all go to see the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular." It's something H. and I treat my Sis and the girls to every year. But even with a BOGO free code and nosebleed seats, the cost was coming up $280 for four tickets on Dec. 30 at 7:30 p.m. [That includes about $16 handling per ticket, even when you print them out at home for free.] And H. has earnestly made a Christmas list for us to stick to. He is worried that we can't afford it. We generally do not use credit cards, just the debit cards linked to our checking accounts.

This discount code ends at midnight, but I have another code to try tomorrow, so I guess all is not lost yet.

Good night. H. Is back.

TCOY

1. Mass. Liked the hymns.
2. Walked home from church; nice weather. Almost 10,000 steps on Fitbit today.
3. Wrapped some gifts; felt good.
4. Made the butternut squash soup. Tasty!