Christmas Light Bokeh

I've been muffing around with the Christmas lights in the front yard. And after last week's "cold snap" (can I even call it that if it barely hits the freezing mark?), I'm happy that I still have flowers in the garden.

So today's photo is in honor of those folks suffering through the cold snap up north. Minus Fifty SIX? Say it isn't so!

The Holiday Machinery churns endlessly onward. This past weekend saw the arrival of Grandma (her flight was late, due to the MASSIVE HAIL STORM that we had here Saturday afternoon), and the completion of this season's concert series. I think I've got a photo of that event, too. Two concerts done, and DONE.

Also took the kids to one of the local Assisted Living places, where they sang Christmas Carols to the folks in the memory-impaired wing. I was expecting a whole lot of blank faces, but more than half of the older folks actually lit up and sang with gusto, before settling back into their slack-faced cocoons. We should do that more often. And, a little milestone, perhaps, Skip actually sang... out loud. Maybe he knew he wouldn't get a cookie if he didn't participate.

We had the high school group over last night for supper. Those kids sure can eat. Ken and the kids made lemon tarts in shortbread crusts (from scratch!), and the kids managed to devour almost all 48 of the little tasty things.

Skip is still being thwarted in his attempts to practice with the pole vault team. Today when we went up to the college athletic field to meet the team and coach, the place was deserted. Hello? Coach? Anyone there?

:crickets:

Skip hung around on the field for 20 minutes while I waited in the van, and then he gave up and we went home. Probably a good thing, as I'd had to pick Nate up at 11 because he was feeling sick at school, and I'd pulled Kelly from school a half hour early so that she could take care of him at home while I took Skip to Pole Vault (un)practice.

Nate was a real trooper after I got him from school this morning, though. I went and ran errands, and he just sat in the van and read his novel. I found some great cuddle fleece (the same fabric that Kelly made her "cow pants" out of last year) in a lovely turquoise and brown funky heart-print, and at 50% off, it was quite the right price. Kelly needs a new bathrobe, and I think I can cobble a good one together for her out of a pattern I snagged and some ideas I'm tossing around in my brain. Good thing she's got a birthday next month. I think one more sewing project would put me right under.

Speaking of... Skip's new cloak isn't going to sew itself. I should get busy while he's studying for his History final. He's not worried about it, says that it's multiple choice, and the teacher isn't the kind of guy to write 'trick questions'. He's also got his Algebra II-Trig exam tomorrow. How well does he need to do on the exam?

He says he NEEDS to get 28% on it to keep his A grade.

TWENTY-EIGHT PERCENT!!!!!!

I told him I'd be disappointed if he got anything less than 26%.

He said he'd be disappointed if he got anything less than 80.

So I guess tomorrow isn't going to be a problem...

NOW! I must start sewing! Oh, and knitting!