Breather Between Holidays

I guess you could call it a breather. I still feel as if I'm going...going...going...

Hope everyone of you had as wonderful a holiday as I had. Those who celebrate Kwanzaa are still going with it. The rest of us are trying to sit back and gather our strength for the next one I suppose.



Santa was good to me. He even put a wonderful Air Lingus plane in my stocking. He always remembers to put a plane of some kind in my stocking. He knows I love to fly. This one lights up and makes the sound of a take-off. Well - we must have our toys at Christmas.



Among my other gifts was a beautiful new hummingbird feeder for next spring. I never had one like this before. I'll be interested to see which feeder they are attracted to.





Of course, we have pictures from California, where Isaac was visited by St. Nick as well. I think Mom and Dad were a little pleased that the Postal Service did not manage to get all the east coast gifts from various aunts and uncles to him in time. He had plenty without them, and it gives a little breather before the arrival of a new batch of toys . Some did arrive in time. (Mine did!) But Santa also brought him a track and toy cars and trucks, and a big wheel and a number of other things.




I had to laugh at this one though. This is his dad, happily playing with the tiny dog I had sent his son.











They did not spend all of their time at home. They took advantage of some sunshine between rain storms - Yes, even in usually sunny Monterey - and went over to Pacific Grove for some fresh air. Isaac spent some time on the beach.







And some time just sitting in a tree, enjoying Monterey Bay.

















Meanwhile, back at my son's house critters were part of the festivities as well as people. This pair would be Leo (cat) and Eli (dog). They get along pretty well most of the time.



But they are not alone. There is also Murph, seen here with a small child.





Murph does not confine himself to visiting toddlers. He likes to climb over adults as well. Ruth normally looks much prettier than this. She was in the midst of a story about yet another cat, illustrating its expression of...what, I'm not quite sure, when Murph decided to pay her a visit, resulting in what I find to be the amusing picture of the week.









Say, remember when I showed you my "Dr. Seuss plant"? It was my mandevilla, brought in out of the cold, which decided to go crazy in my living room. Then I was crazy enough to decorate it for Christmas. Twelve days ago, on the 16th, it looked like this.



Now it looks like this.




Here's a close up of its curly top .
What do you think? Will it eventually take over the living room? Will the new year find me hacking my way out with a machete? Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion to this adventure.