COFFEE TIME

It's how I start my day.

Every day.

6:30 a.m. today.

I slept in.

AND OTHER HOLIDAYS

I should have mentioned in my outpouring of emotion about the Christmas season yesterday that there is another holiday occurring right now.

Hanukkah began last night.

And IT lasts for 8 whole days and nights!

CHRISTMAS & FIRST SNOWFALL

I always have to remind you that even though we live in sunny Arizona our home is at nearly 5,000 feet elevation and we do get occasional snow here in the winters.

We had our first snowfall this morning for awhile but since the temperature outside was about 35 degrees F. none of it stuck to the ground.

But it must have stirred something in SWMBO's soul because a little later I saw her getting out our Christmas decorations.

She sets up this tableau on our bar but asked me how I was going to photograph it without getting kitchen "stuff" in it.

It is difficult but by going low and getting only part of that big tree I think I eliminated most of the clutter.

Another holiday scene sits atop a table in another part of the room.

There's a wreath on the front door.

And a crystalline drape over the fireplace.

And speaking of fireplaces, check this one out.

I must confess to a bit of skullduggery.

That's actually the annual tape of the yule log on our television screen.

It's an annual showing that will be available until December 31st and there are Christmas carols along with it.

Oh!  And this year they've improved the tape with animals!

There's this lovely orange cat and later on a whole passel of curious kittens.

There's a sort of sad-faced dog.

And even a piggy who seems to be enjoying warmth from the fire.

As they say, there's no place like home for the holidays.

TOGETHER AGAIN

President George H.W. Bush

Rest in Peace

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Happy Friday, Gentle Readers!

How does it feel to be right in the middle of that time of year when one holiday flows effortlessly right into the next one?

How about when you drag out the Christmas decorations?

Hey, you forgot one:  Thanksgiving!

And speaking of Thanksgiving . . .

Well, with that happy thought I'll leave you and hop on to the next hotbed of holiday hyperexitement.

Have a hubristic and heartwarming weekend full of hilariousness and horsefeathers.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(now, where did she go?)

(brrrrrrr)

I have something serious to discuss with you today.

Winter has arrived in Arizona.

Have pity on the poor shivering souls down in Phoenix and Tucson.

Those poor devils have had to change their wardrobe to fight off the icy temperatures.

They may even have to call their relatives in far and distant places for sympathy and help.

Oh well, faced with such rejection from one's family, an Arizonan must persevere, face the elements and struggle on as best he can.

Cheers!

PHOTOS

I was fooling around late this afternoon trying to get a new picture of myself.

Here's what I came up with.

My former colleague, Big Jeff, commented on Facebook that it looked like a booking photograph from some police department.

And he was right.

But the intense gaze is actually me trying to figure out how to take one of these selfies in the bathroom mirror.

Needless to say, even I didn't like it after I had changed to it on all the various sites.

So I'm (at least temporarily) back to Old Faithful.

At least your kids shouldn't have bad dreams about that guy.

Should they?