So, what's been going on?

That's a good question, isn't it?

A week has gone by since my last post, so one would think that something must be going on right now. But really, it has been regular life that's been playing with not putting out updates. So this one is going to be a little on the short side.

- Christmas Time is here -

Last Wednesday was the next step in decorating for Christmas - the house interior!

We've got tinsel on the basement ceiling. There is a nativity scene in the front room. Snowmen all over the place. Oodles of Santas floating around, including "Jazzy Santa" who's black and plays "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" on the sax when you press his button.

Multiple wreaths. A few light-up snowflakes for the front windows. Quite a few noise-making Christmas stuffed animals. A snow globe for each of the kid's rooms. And our miniature sleigh with two snowmen and a Cthulhu riding inside.

The best thing about all these decorations is when Alya woke up the next morning and went running from item to item checking it all out. That is what it's all about.

Oh, and we told her that the elves did the decorating overnight. Gotta start the myth somewhere.

Tomorrow may be the start of the tree. Lights will not be on the same, totally insane scale as last year (over 2000 bulbs) but it will be pretty.

- Alya and dogs -

So this past Sunday, we took the kids over to my Grandmother's a post-Thanksgiving gathering. The bad news first - I drank a soda on the way there that triggered something lying dormant in my intestines. The short of it - I ate none of the good food that was prepared and was very uncomfortable for the duration.

However the food was fantastic as leftovers. My Aunt Dolly made some fantastic barbecue ribs. There was Sasha's cornbread stuffing, again which is could eat again and again. Some really good macaroni and cheese, joined by some of the best flaky biscuits around. Fortunately for me, they all reheated nicely the next day.

Also at the house was Ruby the dog. I don't know exactly the breed Ruby is beyond "puntable" but even at that small scale, Alya was terrified. But unlike Thanksgiving, she eventually was able to deal with Ruby being around, eventually evening laughing at the puppy. It's good to know that she'll be able to deal with this fear of dogs.

In fact while shopping on Friday, Alya asked Sasha if she could get a puppy. Sasha's response, "No way in hell." And that's something we're both solidly on the same page with each other.

Be seeing you,

Jon