Happy New Year!

Goodbye, 2020. You were full of trials and tribulations, and were a very trying year. Let's hope 2021 does much better, aye?

Light Play on Tree Limbs

We have a light in the back where we take the dogs out, and it is critical for those late night, last pee of the day things. 

Today, along with the branches of trees from both sides of the path, it created a sort of "encircling" effect, which was pretty cool.

A Little Bit of Sleet before the Snow Day?

On the RV Steps - Love the Snow, really do NOT like sleet and ice, and all the mud after all the melting is done.

What does the Year Ahead Hold?

 Looks like it is going to get really cold and snowy, followed by a 30 degree temperature hike a few days later. Like they say, "If you don't like the weather in Texas, just wait a day or two".

Drippy Morning

Gloomy, rainy, overcast.... the works. 

But we still trudge on in our raincoats. :)

Self Indulgence

I bought myself Baby Yoda / Grogu warm socks for Christmas :)

Christmas Lunch 2020

When I see the looks on the boys' faces and hear their "ooh"s and "aahhh"s, it makes all the work/preparation worthwhile :) One thing the boys can't ever be accused of is being unappreciative of this momma :)

And yes, they don't like the stuff to touch on their plates :D

Merry Christmas 2020 !

                         

Stocking Loot..

Among Us T-Shirt Loot.

A Christmas List Keyboard and Mouse...and a few extras.

Various and Sundry

A Christmas Morning Stroll

I hurt my back this morning....

and now I can't stand very long while preparing meals, and have to employ the use of my trusty bar stool.

Here's hoping it heals up soon.

A West Texas Sunset

Picnic Lunch

Seeing how the highs for today was in the 70s, we decided to have a little picnic lunch outside to take advantage of the good weather before the nasty windy days were upon us.

I truly cannot remember what THIS was all about. Maybe there was a bird overhead?

Mmmmm Banana Bread with nuts and chocolate chips!

A Visit from the Siblings

Cindy and Judith dropped by to say hello, even if it was from beyond the gate.  It was good to see them as we had been on voluntary lockdown / isolation for quite a few months now.  They marveled at how tall the little boy had grown and we hoped they would come by again soon.

Climate Change

You just can't get the normal highs and lows anymore, sadly.

A Little Outdoor Maintenance.

The outdoor water pipe with the Yard Hydrant Thingy ( Yes, I had to Google what it was called ) had started leaking from under the ground and we certainly couldn't leave it that way.  The guy that had put it in for us not that long ago, had apparently done slip-shoddish work, etc.  

We ended up having our Water Supply person send out a couple of his guys who were charged with doing it right this time. It is ALWAYS good to know your Water Supply guy to where you can call him up on his cellphone for advice, and him tell you, "Well, I'll send a couple of guys out, and just put the charge on your next water bill."

Cowboy Santa

One of my more beloved little decorative pieces...The Cowboy Santa. It is time for you to make an appearance again, sir. :)

A Frosty Morning

    There's not only a chill in the early morning air, but there is also that dryness as well. I love it, this time of year, when you are able to bundle up a little bit, and the humidity is so low. The scorching times of summer are behind you and the piercing cold of winter is yet to come. 

It is interesting to see where the frost on the ground has melted from the rising sun, and there is a demarcation of frost/wet grass where the shadow slowly recedes as the sun slowly rises higher in the sky.

The Geminid Meteor Shower

It was past the little boy's bed time, but we wrapped ourselves up, gathered a blanket or two and sat under the skies for a few minutes to catch the semi-abundance of meteors hurtling above us...

It wasn't long before the below-freezing temperatures ( compounded by a breeze ) got to us and we ran back inside for warmth :)

Just Checking out the Old Home on Google Maps

 Looks like the childhood home I lived in till I was about 15 has been demolished. :(

Time for Gingerbread Houses

    I am such a cheapskate that we never ever get the Gingerbread House Kits. I mean, those things can be PRICEY!  I usually end up getting some Graham Crackers and then struggle with trying to build some respectable looking houses with the little boy.

    Last year, however, as they were closing out the Christmas stuff, we snagged a Pre-Built Gingerbread House Kit for $1.50. Now THAT'S my kind of discount. 

    It was sooo much simpler to work with - complete with ready-made icing and everything.  

    We had a lot of fun putting it together. It may not have been as perfect as the picture on the box, but I don't think we did too shabbily :)

A Cloudy Morning

Quite magnificent, aren't they?

It's That Time of Year again..

.....when I buy our one and only bag/packet of Sugar Cookies for the year, to bake and decorate with the little boy.

One has to do these things - it is Tradition.  And the little boy so looks forward to the activity.

This year, they spread just s little bit too much and did not keep their shapes...

and so they needed A Little Trim.

( Plus it gave us little cut out bits to nibble on )

The Christmas Tree Fiend

Jaxon and I had been decorating the Christmas Tree, which then got it some very much unnecessarily rough attention from the curious cat.