If You Run Out of Stuff to Decorate
... go for the car.

Just saw a SUV go by with fully lit xmas lights on the roof rack. Am thinking, battery pack? Plugged into the cigarette lighter (I think they call it something else these days)?

Went by so quickly I didn't have a chance to snap it, tho I have my camera at hand after seeing the 1st odd thing of the day (that I don't have a pic of).

Saw a herd (flock? congregation?) of dark birds, dozens and dozens, maybe even 100, that suddenly descended en masse onto my back yard. No, they're not crows. We lost all our crows to West Nile disease a few years ago, and they haven't returned -- I miss them greatly. Evil, smelly, smart creatures, but kept the place pest-free.

Don't know what these guys were after, but they swooped away as fast as they arrived as I was struggling to get the velcro flap open on the camera case.

Since I've been sitting around playing stupid games at the desk overlooking the yard and a busy street, maybe I'll catch something else interesting -- maybe the Big Man himself.

This is about all I can handle for xmas this year, a painting from a couple of years ago:



(I think I put it up on the blog last year, or maybe the year before.) Anyway, it's my childhood memory of xmas -- mysterious things to the right and left and behind, and a naked tree.

My father's tradition was that it all happened after The Child was in bed -- decorated tree, presents under it, etc. suddenly appear in the morning. The Child (this is what they always called me) could help with the manger scene on the mantel (or maybe on top of the tv -- can't remember), placing animals and straw. And was allowed to place the baby Jesus in the crib in the morning.

It was never a particularly happy time, since my mother's birthday was around the holidays, and that's when she died, too. I think they tried hard, but even The Child could figure it out. You're not really supposed to be super happy.

Luckily, my new neighbors (who have a preteen kid and a new baby) are doing the jolliness right, tho they have a giant inflatable Santa that just won't stay inflated. Every morning they've been pumping it up, but by mid day all the ooomf is gone. Day after day they've been doing this. But they keep at it. Is either the definition of insanity or the better solution, I guess.

So, Merry Xmas, folks, from my blog to yours.
- posted by Cynthia @ 6:06 PM | | | Link |