all that's past is prologue...

It's about this time every year that I freak out about Christmas. The tree is up but not decorated, nothing is wrapped (and there's plenty left to buy), there are not enough cookies, Beatrix is rolling into final exams, I'm sick (in what seems to be an unwelcome new holiday tradition), and it all seems like a ton of pressure. If you search "Christmas" on my blog, you'll find a lot of similar posts. Friends have advice - "Just pick one or two things that matter." "Trim back the decorations." "No one care about the cookie tray." I love that they care enough to say these things. But here's the thing. For my mom, Christmas was The Thing. She loved it; she loved decorating, going to holiday events, baking cookies, making lefse (ok maybe not so much), shopping, crafting, Toys for Tots, Christmas lights tours, luminary, cheesy Christmas specials, Dayton's 8th floor, poinsettias, holiday cocktails, parties, caroling (though she co...

 (uhh, yeah, it's been a minute since I've gotten a build post up...) Yesterday was really warm. So, after I had done some errands like getting the dog's nails trimmed, and going to the glasses store and getting some Christmas shopping done, I took a hot minute to get some outdoor ornaments up. I had gotten these bulbs on the free page on FB. I always want *something* on the porch. but full-blown garland is too much and there's no place to plug in lights (and solar lights look pathetic in the winter). I like how cute and delicate they look. Maybe if I get really motivated before Christmas I'll make ice luminaria. I also got the garage window boxes done. I do a different theme every year, and this year was inspired by the NOLA Thanksgiving parade. My friend Kristen dropped by some spare green or it never would have happened, after spending $100 for our tree (yikes!) Then I went off and hosted an event at circus for the holiday show and then to Beatrix's Pops Conc...

We've been doing New Orleans Thanksgivings for  a few years now. Enough so that we know our route and timing, have our traditions, do some new things, but most of all see friends and family. 2024, because it's a b*tch, had other plans. Yes, 6 hours before we were to leave, I tested on a whim and because I felt a little off and... We had a sleepless night and came *this close* to leaving me at home for a week with no food and no car. But then by morning my fever was gone and I was not too symptomatic, so we all masked up, opened the windows a crack, and drove down with me sleeping in the back seat (so glad for the new car and the heated back seats!) I mean it kind of sucked, and I missed a lot of our fun traditions on the way down. But by the time we got there I felt better, and by Tuesday I was more or less fine, though with some residual exhaustion that still lingers. But we still got to tour Tulane. And have great cocktails. (Nightbloom was half a block down the street from u...