Sixth Day of Christmas - Traveling with a Ghost Story to Read

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Hit the road quickly after an early breakfast. We have a long drive ahead of us. The car ride was a chance to catch up on some reading. I started a new ghost story for Christmas titled The Green Room by Walter De La Mare.

Once up in the mountains I noticed the snow on the ground. It felt a bit more Christmas-like once again. Mt. Humphrey was snow capped and beautiful.

Checked in to the hotel in Grand Junction. John  took us to dinner at Red Lobster. Yum.

Fifth Day of Christmas - Phoenix

Saturday, December 29, 2018

1. Dale and I took a nice walk this morning. Although there are hints of Christmas inside, it looks far from Christmas-y to me outside.

2. John and Dianne picked us up from the hotel at 10:30 a.m. We headed over to Brenda and Irv's new place to check it out before they get here.

3. Dale and I took another nice walk after getting back to John and Dianne's and saw neighbor's cool cacti with Santa hats on.

4. Sat out by the fire pit with Dale and listened to 90s era Rosemary Clooney Christmas music.

5. Finished reading Christmas Eve On a Haunted Hulk.

Fourth Day of Christmas - Off to Phoenix

Friday, December 28, 2018

1. Listened to 70s era Rosemary Clooney Christmas music in the car while taking Athena to the kennel. Always hard to leave her. 

2. Arrived in Phoenix and got a shuttle to the Drury Inn. Checked in and then admired the big tree in the lobby. 

Third Day of Christmas - Taking Down the Tree

Thursday, December 27, 2018

This is, as far as I know, the earliest I've taken down the Christmas tree. EVER. I got the tree, ornaments, and most of the tchotchkes down while Dale was out running errands. I wasn't hard to do and didn't take nearly as long as usual as I didn't set as much out this year. When Dale returned he made a comment about how empty the house looked. It surprised me because he usually wants the visual (to him) over-stimulation to go away sooner than later. I told him Christmas would just have to live on in his heart.

Third Day of Christmas - Christmas On the Couch and More

Thursday, December 27, 2018

1. Sat on the couch and admired the tree.

2. Listened to 50s era Rosemary Clooney Christmas music.

3. Listened to Bing Crosby Christmas music and drank egg nog.

4. Ate some bark left over from Noel's holiday fete. 

5. Worked on the Joe and Mike Christmas Playlist.

6. Read How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

7. Read The Polar Express.

8. Ate leftover Chinese food from yesterday.

9. Listened to Christmas 2013 playlist and read The Night Before Christmas.

10. Took down the tree and all Christmas decorations. Including the two smaller trees pictured above. One was in the bedroom and one was in the dining room. 

11. Drank some egg nog.

12. Read Santa Mouse.

13. Listened to Christmas 2012 playlist.

14. Watched White Christmas with Dale while eating a frozen pizza for dinner.

15. The cowboy Charisse gave me didn't grow much from yesterday although it looks like one of his legs is a little more engorged. I took him out of water a few hours later...

Second Day of Christmas - Jewish Christmas with Mike & Charisse

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Mike and Charisse came over for dinner tonight. We ordered Chinese food so we had our own little variation on Jewish Christmas although we didn't watch a movie. We listened to lots of Christmas music and had great conversation the whole evening although I zoned out the last hour or so they were here. Oh well, chalk it up to holiday backlash. I'm exhausted!

I put the expanding cowboy that Charisse got for me in water. We'll see if he expands.

Second Day of Christmas 2018 - Joe and Noel's Post Holiday Shopping Adventure

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Noel picked me up at 11:00 a.m. and we headed over to 14 Hill where Noel got some ornaments at half price and I got some bottle brush trees and some towels. At Patina I found some mercury glass ornaments and some Original Drinking Buddies which I picked up for Mike and Charisse who are coming over tonight. We had lunch at George and the Dragon. We were done by 1:20 and I texted Dale that I was coming home early. Because it was such a short trip he asked if everything was okay. I responded, "It's all good. We're just so much more efficient in our old age!"