December is a big month for us, with Christmas and a couple of birthdays all hitting in quick succession. We expected this year we’d get to do all of that in the snow, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Christmas cookies with Aunt Toni.
Lots of dice games. I used to play Risk with Ali’s dad whenever we were together, but about fifteen years ago we realized our competitiveness (and poor sportsmanship) was going to destroy us, so we gave it up. I’m happy to report that this year we broke the board out again, and we were still friends afterwards. Probably because we both kept going after each other, to the point that the other players would always win.
The little bit of ice on the lake is just about gone.
We keep getting laps in at the rink down the road, though.
Katy brought Ali a pie for her birthday. Somehow I got my favorite, banana cream, on her birthday.
Happy Birthday, Ali.
And then it was Christmas.
Lowe has literally worn the keys off of his laptop. We had him pretty well convinced we were going to buy him an external keyboard to solve that problem, so it was nice to get an actual surprise out of him when he opened up his new computer.
As the ice melted off the lake the Bald Eagles got back to fishing.
This is not the late-December of my youth.
Ali and Ouest hit up a pottery class together. It’s gonna be weeks before we see the finished products, but I have been told there are no ashtrays involved.
4 Comments on “A Brown Christmas”
You’re seeing a white January.
If the grass still shows, it doesn’t count as white. 🙂 So, not white yet.
Happy Bithday Ali!
Hi Pat, been quite a while since I’ve checked in on your families travels. We had met at a restaurant up north there back in lateish 2016 I believe, and had lunch together. We had a nice chat about my sailing and overall travel thoughts, and weather or not to go into a ‘retirement business’ until my then 9yo was old enough to fly the coop so to speak.
You also showed me your IH that you were prepping for your next adventure out East if I recall correctly, she was quite the beast. It was an insightful conversation, and I appreciated you taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences with me.
I ended up going into the business, and it’s been interesting, though if I had a chance to do it all again knowing what I know now, I might have chosen a different path, but you know what they say about hindsight and all that.
I’ve been recently catching up on your families adventures, you guys are certainly living a blessed and full life, and I’m looking forward to joining in that lifestyle as well, hopefully sooner rather than later. And I have absolutely No complaints about this winter so far, though this current -5 to -15 we’re having leaves a bit to be desired… At least we don’t have to shovel it, and as they say, This too shall pass.
Thanks for you continuing to post your blog, and hope you folks have a great 2024. All the best!