Happy holidays!!!

. . . from my mom's cat. Doesn't he look ferocious?

I hope everyone had a wonderful wonderful holiday. I certainly did, though MAN why can I not seem to find time to blog or answer emails anymore? Hmmm . . . I wonder . . . Could it have something to do with . . .
Perhaps. The little elf is almost 5 months old. Wow! How did that happen? And yes, time is not quite so luxuriously abundant as it once was, back in the "good old days" (aw, come on, they're much better now, in so many ways!) when I could loaf and lounge all day reading and writing. I keep meaning to blog and answer emails, but . . . then it's suddenly the end of the day. Plus we've been everywhere but home. Now we are back home, trying to find a rhythm for the New Year. A rhythm that includes WORK! I am sooooooooo eager to plunge back into my novel-in-progress. SOOOOO eager. And yet . . . I am writing a blog post instead. Hm. Well, what can I say. Things don't seem real anymore until I've posted them on my blog. Ha ha! So, birthday and Christmas pics!
Remember my clementine pie disaster? Well, my mom -- a more accomplished baker than I -- surprised me with a clementine chiffon pie in lieu of a birthday cake! It was delicious and adorable! The crust is crushed shortbread cookies, coconut, and butter!!! (Recipe.)

There were other sweet things too. Alexandra brought cupcakes:
And Chary brought a bowl of goodness that included homemade gingerbread caramels and chocolate-dipped macaroons. Yum!!!



Excellent loot was had by me.



Clementine got some prezzies too, including a wonderful alligator, which was later spotted hiding under the Christmas tree and ambushing passing elves.

Another year older, another great birthday. I [heart] my family and friends :-)

On the 23rd, Jim and Clementine and I met Alexandra at the zoo for Zoolights, a crowded stroll in the cold with lovely lovely lights and fog and the maybe just maybe the rumbling roar of a lion around the bend. Clementine was truly bundled, like Randy in A Christmas Story -- "I can't put my arms down!"



And then, at last, it was Christmas Eve, at my parents' beautiful house that is like a holiday wonderland. And this year, of course, a new elf joined the gang:
Awww. . . Clementine's Christmas dress is a from Grasshopper, a great store on Alberta where there owner sews limitted editions of simple little frocks out of great fabrics. Perfect for our non-foo-foo tastes. The hat I sewed lickity split on Christmas Eve out of two pieces of craft felt (whip-stitched) and some felt balls. I didn't know how it would come out, but I love it!!! We didn't get a really great Christmas portrait of her, so we'll likely be breaking the outfit out again today or tomorrow to try for some more shots.

As always, the food was amazing, the gifts were inspired and abundant, and the lounging was wonderfully cozy.



Happy holidays to everyone -- mwah!! Now, to work!!!!!