Pleasures of the Season

I can't say this has been our most festive year ever -- no Advent candles, wreaths, or many ornaments or decorations, and it's not all Kali's fault -- but kind friends and relatives have sent lovely gifts, and we've baked cookies and mailed out cards and watched The Muppet Christmas Carol, and the community Christmas concert was wonderful. And Finny has worn his Christmas sweater. Plus...

My dear old college roommate sends a fantastic box of sweets and surprises to us every December, and this year she went especially overboard. I think last post I showed "the unboxing," and we've happily devoured the whisky fudge already, but here Katie is wearing the light-up head band and elf shirt that Darcy and Paul gave her as she heads off for a "last day of school" party. Now that's a sight to get anyone feeling festive!

And, speak of the devil...
little Kali has ramped up her wickedness for the holiday. She snuck into Ed's room, where the bags we brought home from our trip to the mall in Concord last weekend were stowed (and that is an expedition I am never making again!), and she ATE the beautiful sweater I bought for Ed. I think it was the wool that appealed to her. She chewed through two layers of plastic bag and chewed large holes through one arm. She also had a chew or two into my new blue jeans. Gah. That was nearly the end of her residence with us, but her protectress was... well, tearfully effective. Kali herself remains blithely immune to our tirades.

I've been reading to Mom most days lately, either at their house or here, and yesterday we finished Tolkien's "Father Christmas Letters." It's an old favorite, and Mom seemed interested in seeing the pictures as well as hearing again about the antics of Polar Bear, Paksu, Valkatukka, and company. Now we've stared on "The Secret Garden," which is one she always especially enjoyed.

Katie and I went shopping for her the other day, and, along with the yearly embroidered sweatshirt, we found the Ultimate bed jacket! It's just as soft and roomy as all get out, and it has pom poms! I was so excited about it, and also eager to have Mom's poor thin shoulders stay warm while I'm reading to her, so we gave her the bed jacket early.

She might appear to be only moderately pleased, at best (with Some mothers you might imagine that she is thinking, "Gray? Really? When have you Ever seen me wear gray? And... pom poms?), but that's only because her illness has reduced her mobility of expression. On the inside she is like this...

I'm quite sure of that. It is Very soft and warm. And Daddy thinks so too.

Doesn't she look cozy?

So. That's what we're up to. I hope your house too is full of joy and laughter and fluffy pom poms!