Dec 24th the storm had blown itself out, and the day was just picture perfect, about 75 degrees, so that we had a chance to sit out in the warm sun in front of our trailer. What a treat that was indeed. There was no wind at all.
There is a desert church not that far from us, called St Anthony's Episcopal church where we attended Christmas Eve service last year and really enjoyed it, so this year we returned there, service at 7 PM, but this time we took a big plate of chocolate chip cookies as a contribution to the snack that they serve after the service. We met Wendy and Dave, their daughter Bronwen, and her daughter and son, Sydney and Cameron, there too.
Cameron was asked by the minister if he would carry baby Jesus up to the creche at the front of the church, and put him in it, at the beginning of the service, so he did that. Wendy kept him company, as he wasn't completely sure about going with new people he didn't know, it was so sweet to see. A lot of the congregation are very elderly, what a breath of fresh air to have some young people there at the service.
It was mostly carols, and readings, with a very good soprano singer too. And there was communion. Afterwards Wendy and Dave didn't stay for the food, but we did. It was mostly finger food, but it's a very nice gesture by the congregation to feed folks who they don't really know or see very often, at least in our case. There weren't many in attendance that night. ?They all greet and shake hands with each other during the service, which we aren't used to in our churches.
Christmas Day we opened our presents, the new Pendleton jacket is a big hit and very attractive, Lary bought 2 pairs of black jeans and slacks to go with it. And I called Sue, Jen and Hannah, and Lary called his mum and Barb, his sister. Lary gave me a buffalo horn flute, see below.
It would have been warm enough to swim Christmas day around noon, but we didn't, we were invited to Wendy and Dave's for dinner with their family at 4 PM, so off we went. We visited our friend Chip on the way, and had a Christmas toast with a bottle of champagne at his house, which was very neat of him to offer us. It was great to touch bases with him, especially when we don't have flute lessons right now during the holidays. I showed him my new bison horn flute that Lary had got me, it is lovely, and very unusual. I am so thrilled to have it. It is a shiny pointy black horn, very curved, with 5 holes in it.
You play it by lifting all 5 fingers off the holes, one at a time, unlike our Native American flutes where the ring finger or 4th hole up from the bottom stays covered always, to make the pentatonic scale. The bison flute scared Chip's dog Lucy. Must be the deep sound, the key that Lary got me is D.
We had a delicious turkey dinner that Wendy had made, and got to know Bronwen's family a bit more, Sydney is 12 and a very good competitive swimmer like her Mom used to be, and Cameron is 8, a bit shy but a mad keen player of games, so we had fun playing some of the new games and toys that they got for Christmas. We had taken some of our flutes to show Sydney and Cameron, but they didn't seem very interested in them.
We left around 8:30 or so, Wendy sent us home with some lovely presents, and more for Lary's birthday on the 27th. My favourite present was a wee art picture that Wendy got me, it is painted on sandstone, and is from Oatman, Arizona. They got it when we 4 went to Laughlin, Nevada and then over into Oatman, AZ last year on our bus trip with the Catalina travel club.
We had forgotten how much energy young kids have, and especially at Christmas time, with all that rich food, candy and new and exciting toys etc.
It seems amazing that young kids nowadays have electronic toys worth so much money, Cameron had 2 electronic gadgets, he had bought them both with his own money, but each one was worth about $200. I didn't even know what one was, though I think the other was an I Pod. We aren't up on the latest things that kids now consider essential. And of course they have cut their teeth on computers and the like, unlike our generation who had to learn them later in our lives.
After dinner there was a long Skype conversation to the family back in Nelson, so that is how they manage to keep in touch with each other. And Sydney can text her friend in Nelson using her I Pod I believe. The kids' Dad Roger stayed home in Nelson, both for work, and I believe that a family member is quite ill.
Wendy and Dave had very pretty Christmas decorations up in their house, it looked very festive, and there was a brocade cranberry colored tablecloth and napkins on the table, very pretty.
The 26th sped by, it was warm once again so we could sit outside the front of the trailer and read our books, what luxury at this time of year.
They don't have Boxing Day like we do in Canada, but there were mega sales, and the traffic jams to prove it, too. Lots of people travelling at this time of year here too. We didn't do the sales, having a very small trailer is a good idea for me, as it curbs my shopping habits. Nowhere to put more stuff!!!!!!!
Today the 27th was Lary's birthday, he walked out in the desert early this morning, I exercised in the clubhouse with the ladies here, then he opened presents, I had found 3 nice Columbia shirts for him at Stein Mart which is kind of a discounter and hooray, they fit.
He also got a fiendish crossword book, Mensa level, and a Git R done ball cap. But Lary pointed out what I hadn't noticed on the front of the cap, you seem to be staring down the barrel of a gun pointed at you!!!!!! Hmmmmmm.
We have been munching on Wendy's yummy candy and really enjoying it, especially the tiger butter, and also there is Ghirardelli peppermint Bark with dark chocolate, it is ever so good.
Today being Tuesday we had soup at the clubhouse, turkey vegetable and also pea soup, with fresh Costco bread, yum yum, and tonight we are off to Agua Caliente Casino for Lary's birthday dinner.
Today we got a Christmas card from my friend Joan, in Barcelona, he was so thrilled to let me know that we met 32 years ago, (can't be, but it is!!!!) when I lived in a big group apartment with a bunch of Catalan speaking school teachers.
And we got another Christmas card from my friend Lesley who we don't see very much any more, as she lives on the mainland and we on Vancouver Island, but the card itself is one that her Mum painted, a Christmas cowboy scene, so sweet and touching.
I am just thrilled to have it as Lesley's Mum Becky just passed away this year, well in to her nineties. She was a wonderful artist, and a very lovely person. She spent her last thirty years or so in Kelowna, her birth city, I believe. Lary and I used to visit her up there, but we hadn't seen her recently either.
The warm weather is holding for the moment, and looks as if we'll continue having temps in the 70s for New Year's too. Whoo hoo.
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