Christmastide:MLK Weekend Monday - MLK Day

Monday, January 20, 2025

MLK Day. 

Woke up this morning. Freezing outside. 

Had morning coffee with this guy on my lap. Then went to the gym with Dale. Lunch at The Howe. 

Found this out today and I'm excited. 

Set out the holiday houses. Checked my voice mail and found out school for tomorrow is cancelled due to the cold. 

Christmas Season 2024/2025: The Sixth Day of Christmas - Morning Cigar

 Monday, Deccember 30, 2024

Still have one more week off. One of the nice things about not working is having a morning cigar with coffee. 

Christmas Season 2024/2025: The Third Day of Christmas - Krumkake, Barbra, and More

 Friday, December 27, 2024

Nice relaxing morning. Have a mild cold that’s making me feel a bit washed out. Told Dale that today felt like a usual Christmas morning for us. Lounging around in our robes, reading, and getting breakfast for ourselves. I had some krumkake with my morning coffee. 

Dale went to the gym this afternoon but I continued to read, blog, and lounge around. It felt quite good to do so. Not a lot of food in the house due to us being away for a while so I made some macaroni noodles with butter. 

Listened to Barbra Streisand's A Christmas Album this afternoon. Mom didn’t have this one when we were growing up but I picked it up for myself in the mid-80s on cassette tape. Can’t believe I’ve been listening to it for about 40 years now. It was the first time I’d ever heard the lead in for the song White Christmas which is often left off. You know, “The sun is shining, the grass is green, the orange and palm trees sway, there’s never been such a day, in Beverly Hills, L.A. But it’s December the 24th and I’m longing to be up North…” I think it’s included more often now on recent recordings. However up until this version I had never heard it before. Anyway, I was thinking about this intro while in Arizona for Christmas especially since John and Dianne have an orange tree in their back yard. I was surprised how well I did without the cold and the snow this year. Anyway, now we’re back home and there’s a little bit of snow on the ground. It’s raining out now so it’s a little messy looking but I guess ya can’t have it all.

I’m on something of a Barbra roll today since I also listened to her other Christmas collection, Christmas Memories. It’s got quite a few selections that are far from being over-recorded including A Christmas Love Song, Snowbound, Christmas Lullaby, and Christmas Mem’ries all of which I really enjoy listening to. And I love her version of It Must have been the Mistletoe which I find surprising hasn’t been covered more often. 

Watched Meet Me in St. Louis tonight with Dale during dinner. We usually watch this in November to tie together the time between Halloween and Christmas. This is one of my all time favorite films. Dale and I always have so much fun watching and we never seem to tire of it. Notable that the story took place only 40 years prior to the release of the film. Currently it would be 120 years ago!  It would be like making a movie now that took place in the 80s.  In fact I first watched this movie just about 40 years ago with my gay college buddies as a kind of anti-Superbowl party. We watched the movie at my friend Paul's house in the family room. His dad was sweet and kind and gave up the big tv and offered to watch the game in the bedroom. 

I was curious about the house used in the film so I used AI to find out the following information: " The 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis was filmed on a soundstage at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Culver City, California. St.  Louis Street: A street lined with Victorian homes built for the film on Lot 3 of the MGM backlot. The. street and the Smith family's house were demolished in 1972. The house was later used in the film Cheaper by the Dozen." I've heard the land was sold and that there are condos there now.

Dale picked up some eggnog for me at the store today. I drank some as we finished the movie after dinner.  

Pre- Holiday Season 2024: Enjoying Saturday

Saturday,  December 14,  2024

Cigar and coffee in the yard this morning. 

Not too raw out. Lunch with Noel at Heather's. We didn't hang out afterward as sleet and freezing rain started falling and Noel thought it best to get home. 

Played with AI on my phone and got the above images. 

Moon was officially full by the time  I  lit up my afternoon cigar. 

Romeo y Julieta this morning.  A Camacho this afternoon. 

Listened to my own holiday mix while outside. 

Cocktail hour with Dale once back inside. Drank a pre-made Old Fashioned from Cork Dork. 

And listened to some more music. 

First Day of Thanksgiving Break 2024: Coffee, Cigars, and Christmas Music

 Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Morning cigar.  

Dale took off for the gym around 9:00 am.

I lit up shortly after.

Broke my rule and started listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Usually I wait until the Friday after so I'm only a couple days early. 

Chilly out but not raw and not windy. 

Had some coffee to keep me warm. 

MLK Day 2024

Monday, January 15, 2024

Another leisurely paced morning. Coffee with Dale, 

cat on our laps, 

and sub-zero temp (-7) outside but cozy and warm inside. 

Did a little shopping at Target.

Good to see the sun and blue skies.

Listened to more childhood Christmas music

and drank a little Irish Cream.

Took some more walks and...

...enjoyed being around Sylvester. 

MLK Weekend 2024 - Sunday (Christmistletoe)

  Sunday, January 14, 2024

Another day of not having to hustle to get to work. 

Dale and I  drank coffee and took turns having Sylvester on our laps. 

The wind is whistling outside and it's even colder than yesterday morning yet it's very cozy inside. 

Went to church this morning on this 2nd Sunday after Epiphany. 

Dale had to count the collection after the service so I zipped over to Lake Harriet for a (very) short walk due to the cold. 

Despite the frigid air I was able to appreciate the beauty of the peacefulness and stillness. 

After my Lake Harriet visit I picked up Dale at church and we headed over to Creekside for brunch. 

                      

We both had omletes. Dale had the Denver and I had the mushroom and Gruyere. Delicious.

Stopped by Kowalski's after Creekside and picked up some potato salad to bring over to Warren's tonight. 

          

This afternoon Dale went to the gym and I had a cigar upstairs. 

 

Also listened to another childhood favorite Christmas album by the Harry Simeone Chorale. 

   

Dinner of BBQ chicken and ribs at Warren's townhouse. Gary was able to join us and we watched Crazy Mama starring Cloris Leachman. Oh so silly. Actually, just stupid.