Starting with a trip to Danville (
Beware!) for lovely Megan and Peter's wedding.

The trip included some time in St. Louis with good friends.

They were delightful hosts. If I hadn't been so sick, it would have been one of the best trips that I have taken post-Jonathan-sans-Jonathan. As it was, I enjoyed the company of friends and their happiness and drank more hot tea in one weekend than ever before or since.

I got back just in time to start Advent and Christmas decorating.


We have many more ornaments between us than can fit on a normal sized tree. Stringing them on ribbon was a fun way to use them and increase the decorated space. Let's see, how many more windows do I have?

Traditional cookie baking for work cookie exchange and Christmas gifts. These were sugar cookie balls rolled in crushed peppermint sticks in the making. Yum!

After Christmas, we had each of our families over for dinner at our house. It was a serious time of reflection on our relationships and the coming new year.

It was also the highest number, not of people, but of children that has ever been in our house.
A couple of days later, my family convened for our new tradition--Pictionary night. Camille treated us to an authentic (and garlic-intensive) Italian dinner.

Sisters in my kitchen:

Sibs on the couch:

We were able to get a picture of the whole family at Elsa's house later during our last hurrah before we started separating for another year.

The other highlight of this winter--snow!

We had to make a snow man and his friend, the snow kitty.

"Snow had fallen, snow on snow...."

At the Starbucks across the street from my bus stop. One of winter's little compensations is a hot drink as you stamp through the results of the fourth snow storm in a week.

The ad on the bus is from a Pemco
campaign that always reminds me of the way that Dorothy Sayers described the occasional genius of advertising. We here thrive on thinking that we are unique. Special, if you will. And we are proud of our white socks with sandals, thank you.