Saturday, December 21, 2013

Report from Santa-Land

Aside from getting an estimate this morning from The Plumber Guy that surpassed the initial estimate by several thousand dollars, the one that provoked my stripping naked and running down the street screaming, today proved to be better than yesterday. A very close friend brought his Guy over to take a look at the Plumbing Troubles, and he will be able to do the job for far less money. We might even consider having The Brothers help to dig the trenches around the house over Christmas vacation. I'll wield a camera and take some photos in the Selgado vein.



We shall see.

That aside, I needed to get busy for a small party that we're having tomorrow night. I considered cancelling in the throes of despair last night, but The Husband told me that I was insane (even though I am already insane as he will not even be at the party), so I spent today baking and preparing for the festivities. Here are some Chocolate Rye Cookies with Maldon Sea Salt. I'm also making Pecan Puffs, Chocolaty Chip Cookies and Rolled Sugar Cookies. There will be soup, bread, cheese and olives. We will carol in our snowy Los Angeles neighborhood, bundled up against the 52 degree chill.


Here are some cheerful shots of our house which over the years has grown to resemble one of those Christmas stores that you see on resort islands (the resort islands that I regularly visit). It all sort of makes me nauseous and happy -- and you know me: very, very capable of holding those paradoxical feelings at once!



Here's the Owl ornament that I've had since 1972. Reader, I've been collecting owls for longer than some of you have been alive and certainly well before they became a thing. Have I ever told you about my owl shag rug that I hooked myself?


There's an Elf that I've had for far longer -- maybe the 1960s? It's the genuine article -- not that horrid little Elf on a Shelf business.



Here's our tree, and I have no idea what the sparkly lights are doing. I suppose it's another Christmas miracle, making up for the Plumbing Troubles.



Oh, and here's the life-sized Santa, because every tiny California bungalow should have at least one.


And then there's me, looking wan with freshly waxed eyebrows:



What are ya'll doing?

8 comments:

  1. Hey gorgeous- just wanted you to know that my string-theory-proof is still working. As I read your words about owls, an owl outside, which I have not heard in months, suddenly began howling. Incredibly loudly. What the hell?

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  2. I admit to being mesmerized by your unintentionally-twinkling lights!

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  3. Your gif up there w/ the Owl ornament made me think very seriously that I needed to enroll in Hogwarts before I realized it was a gif. And you are a gift :) Your house looks warm and cozy and I'd probably just flop right down and take a cookie.

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  4. And I was just seeing owls in Hyde Park! Hmmm...

    In all seriousness, did Google auto-enhance your tree photos? Another blog pal was telling me that when he uploaded a photo of a snowy landscape, Google overlaid it with cartoon-like falling snowflakes. Apparently it's a thing Google is doing now. I am opposed. But if you CHOSE to make the photos twinkly, well, that's OK.

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  5. Before any digging starts, make sure you know where all your utilities are buried (aside from the plumbing that is being replaced). I didn't "call before you dig" and ended up having to pay to repair our cut phone/internet line.

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  6. Chocolate Rye Cookies with Maldon Sea Salt, Pecan Puffs, Chocolaty.....I'll bring the milk. Soy if that's ok.
    The tree is sparkly, the cookies, amazing, the eyebrows, divine.
    xo
    yo

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  7. Nice brows baby. You look FINE. May I have a cookie?

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  8. LOVE your owl and twinkly trees. And the cookies, to which I would probably be addicted so am glad not to be close enough to have 'just one more', and the Madonna-like face at the end. I wouldn't say wan, I'd say clear.

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