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This is the first sunny day it's been light enough indoors that I could take pics without flash! So, late, but still cheerful Christmas pics!  Moose medal! Thank you, hon!



An evergreen cone that weighs as much as an egg, and feels like a solid surface. The giver says that when it opens to drop its seeds, it will *explode*! I think when I de-decorate after the 7th, the cone will be relegated to a porch, so it can 'splode there ,and not all on the carpet. OH painted the tarot Hermit Father Christmas



Shenannigans under the flatscreen, from a German pyramid to an Ohio Art top, c. 1950-ish, Steiff bears and a Hermann chimp, lion and lamb Engelbreit tin, Father Christmas, elf and Santa stocking hooks, Beldar and Primate conehead Santas all painted by OH, a watch cap, a toque, and a beanie, gifts in the past, to the Pinewood Derby car OH made for me when the boys were in Cub Scouts. All good fun.



Observing Old Christmas is a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the decorations before they all get stowed again till next year.

from a man much smarter and more compassionate than I. From Tumblr, George Takei:

"I am addressing this to all who voted to defeat Donald Trump and what he represents. We may not
have prevailed, but we must not despair.

"Many of you are, like me, in a state of shock. This does not feel like the America you love and
honor. We are in uncharted waters. In times like these we must reaffirm the values we cherish
and have fought for: equality, justice, the care of the planet. We must stand up defiantly to any
dark or devisive acts, and look out for the most vulnerable among us. It is more important than
ever.

"Within our hearts we know the society we wish to live in. No one can take that vision from us.
We are each of us keepers of that promise. This country has seen wars and grave injustices, slavery
and even civil war in its past. Yet we found our way through.

"Hold your loved ones close. Tell them that it is in times of sadness and in the toughest of days
where we often find our true mettle."

Also via Tumblr, from morgandawn:  Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world's grief. Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.

Thanks for the pretty paper and e-cards I've gotten from my lovely flist this Christmas--you know who you are. And to fireheart13 for the adorable v-gift.

We have a light dusting of snow--like a very large baker sprinkled powdered sugar over the windowsills and bushes, and left the roads perfectly clear. Best snow ever, if you're not a skier or sledder.

Second batch of coffee's brewing, for those who haven't switched to tea. The scent of peanut butter chocolate chip cookies is being overtaken by the oatmeal walnut cookies baking. Soon it'll be time to put in the ham. The tree is twinkling and the old toys will fill the empty space underneath for the rest of the holidays (don't you hate that bare, bereft space? This is better).



Warmth and light and love to you all. Peace and kindness, and a Happy New Year!

Here's a link to meus_venator's post, http://meus-venator.livejournal.com/86903.html That post has all the relevant information from vennstiel and anniespinkhouse.

Lia's been a vibrant and contributing member of SPN fandom for a long time, as well as a friend. Anything we can do to help, right? Part of the fandom, part of the family--always keep fighting.

LJ's having one of its periodic hissyfits and not letting me post pictures. But never say die. This is stolen from sophiap, who got it from cherie_morte, who said,

Hey, guys. As you by now surely know, it's been a really emotional weekend for the Supernatural fandom. One of our boys is hurting, and all of us have been pulling together, sending him our love and wishing him the best.

While my heart is broken for Jared right now, the thing that has struck me most over the last 24 hours has been the outpouring of love and support that I've seen circulating. It's been really beautiful and inspiring.

Today on Twitter, yohkobennington started to leave random love for her friends, and that made me think: when is a better time to take stock and remind ourselves how much we all mean to each other in fandom than now? Jared's not the only one going through a hard time, and I think we could all use some cheering up.

So, without further ado, I've decided to create the #AlwaysKeepFighting Love Meme so we can spread love to each other.


I'm offline for most of the rest of the day, or I'd run around like crazy leaving love for folks. Y'all do it, anyway, okay?

♥ LOVE MEME ♥

full meme

|

..in advance for a scant presence here, and elsewhere online for a bit. Deadlines and obligations mean less playtime, online and off, so. I'll duck in when I can and check on you flisters. Be well, meanwhile.

We got the outdoor decorations done weeks ago, neighborly peer pressure being what it is.

The family tradition in OH's family was to put the tree up on Christmas Eve when the children were in bed, stuff the stockings and put the presents under the tree. Considering that we hid the presents at OH's office because we had intrepid and unrepentant snoopers, and he brought them home, with the best tree he could find on Christmas Eve, and we put up the tree, trimmed the tree--to his mother's exacting three-ornaments on every branch standards--wrapped all the gifts (after putting any that needed assembly together), put them under the tree, and stuffed and hung the stockings... There were a few years in there where we didn't sleep at all until late Christmas Day afternoon.

My family's 'put the tree up sometime after Thanksgiving and take it down January 2' seemed so much more reasonable. Now, the schedule is, get the outside stuff up as soon after Dec. 1 as I can talk him into it, get the tree down from the shed loft and let the box sit in the dining room for a week or so before pulling the tree out, fluffing up the limbs, and plugging it in. Only then remembering that oh yeah, one of the sections of lights was out last year. OH went through the tree trying bulbs to find the culprit, with no success, and it was only then I remembered pulling upper lit branches down and lower lit branches up to disguise the black hole last year, and did that again this year.

So the tree is up, lit, and mostly decorated. There are a few ornaments that were packed in the wrong box that still need to go on it, and the candle clips and candles. Then I can put down the tree skirt and move the antique red painted hooded doll cradle with the bear, bunny, and patchwork quilt under the tree, along with the antique English market basket holding Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Camel with the wrinkled knees (and a tiny handmade Raggedy pair made and sent c/o the magazine that ran my articles on repair & restoration). There's the pull toy with the spacemen in their rockets circling the globe the kids played with, and the Brio pulltoy of painted wooden balls, jointed so it moves somewhat like a caterpillar, something like a slinky. But bright and festive! There're the Santa hats for Dougal and Truman. Rodney the Reindeer is already flopped over the foot of the crib next to the tree. Now it's just a matter of getting the Santa figures OH painted placed to best advantage, candles and greenery, ditto, and we're more or less done.

I'm sending checks as presents, and no, they're not in the mail yet. And I need to order presents off his Amazon wish list for the last child on my list. I *just* found out his mom appropriates any money I send to him, which makes me furious, since he's effectively gotten nothing from us to mark occasions for *years,* now.  So I should get on that, so he will have something to open.

H just made oatmeal walnut butterscotch cookies--very nice, but I prefer the oatmeal walnut cranberry ones--I like the little bite of tart fruit (minds out of the gutter, you!).  So, I should get a class of cider and do the Amazon thing, before finishing the tree. Yup, here I go. Right now.

Took the hoosband out for his belated birthday dinner, to the buffet restaurant he likes. I was smrt, taking only a bite of things that interested me. I learned at south'ren church homecoming potlucks, I did. SO MUCH food, and all of it good, and if you take the helpings that you really want, you'll never get through all of them. So, bites. And then if you have room, you can go back and get more.

So, the food was really good. I steered clear of tomato and pasta and breads--though I did sneak a bite of cheese biscuit--worth it! But you know, my heart belongs to the dessert buffet. They have a chocolate fountain! To some of you that may be a ho-hum thing, but for me, my inner eight year old is turning cartwheels, because Chocolate! Fountain! There were chunks of fruit, and marshmallows, and little coconut balls to spear on long skewers to dip into the fountain, and the chocolate was really good! The cake and pie was already cut and plated in very small servings, which is such a thoughtful idea for presentation.There was fudge, and brownies, and german chocolate cake, and devils food with chocolate ganache and a cherry on top. And coconut cream pie, and apple, and blueberry pie, and carrot cake, and the ubiquitous soft serve ice cream.

So I had my dinner, very sensible, lean protein and veg. And then I had a marshmallow, and a coconut ball dipped in chocolate. A small square of fudge, which didn't thrill me so I skipped all but the first nibble, and a brownie, which was fabulous. I love coconut cream pie when it's done well--this wasn't, so I didn't finish it. But the devils food cake was amazing. And then, I stopped.

Because I'm a grownup like that. But also, because I had a good dinner, and amazing dessert, and I had enough. So, yay me!

The OH? Oh, he had a little bit of everything going, including potatoes and pasta and steak and ribs. Mr. Protein Man, he is. And right now, after the drive home? He's snoring gently in the recliner. Happy Birthday, babe.

A dear friend, mickeym, could use some help. She's been a support to others in need, so I hope we can reach out to her now, when she needs it. Read here. http://mickeym.livejournal.com/1577453.html

We're not keeping track of how many candles anymore. But thanks to sweet folks like meus_venator, reggie11, and arabia764 for the adorable and funny e-cards, yummy v-gifts, and well-wishes today!