You have to open one present early.  Choose wisely!

The opening date for the dungeness crab season every December is always a little iffy.  This year it was just in time for cracking crab on Christmas Eve.

I think everyone here got off work at noon today.  Traffic was bumper to bumper.  Not a single parking space to be found — by those less clever than I  —  but I have lived here for a long time now and I know all the tricks and secret places.  And I always run into people I know and get to wish Merry Christmas to.

Roxie just had her Christmas bath.  She doesn’t like the blow dryer so she gets to snuggle in a warm blankie instead.

Kobe has a worried look on his face.  “Don’t worry, sweet boy, you do not have to take your bath today.”

Rosie’s big challenge is trying to arrange herself on both the laptop and the crossword for her nap.

Life is good at 1880.

Party is one of those funny words.  Political party. Party of two for dinner.  Birthday party. Party line. “Is this the party to whom I am speaking?” Lily Tomlin.  And nowadays apparently,  partying,  as heard on crime TV, can mean doing drugs.  Today at Fred Meyer’s, I heard over the address system, “Elizabeth, please meet your party in the toy department.”  Seems like a very good place to have a party to me.  I am off to one. I am seriously considering going in a naked face as Rudolph.  The dermatologist freeze-dried a little scaly spot on the end of my nose a few days ago.  Well, maybe not.  I can probably cover that up and avoid having to answer a lot of questions. Or I could say, “It happened in a bar — and you should see the other party.”

And Happy Birthday to Katherine, born on the shortest day of the year.  I think that’s very special because, after that, every day has been brighter and sunnier.

This picture is definitely a period piece.  (Check out my Christmas sweater and Kate’s edgy hair cut.)  We are singing out hearts out.  Make a wish!

(To see more birthday pictures, take a look at last December’s post.)