Saying goodbye to Christmas!
We did nothing today except visit with Diane for lunch and pitter-patter around the house. We didn’t even do “Girls Night Out” because I needed to eliminate this nagging cough!
We watched a couple of movies and crashed at 9:30 pm. Perhaps tomorrow will be a more productive day!
Deliveries made; time to celebrate!
I was up early, not because I wanted to see Santa but because I was having a coughing attack! Mary brought my hot tea, and I pushed my nose into Vick’s vaporizer for a couple of hours and popped pills like a junkie. Mary went back to bed for a couple of hours. I cannot figure it out; I feel fine, with no temperature but a nagging cough that does not want to stop!
All afternoon, we just piddled around getting ready for our guests, who arrived around 3:00 pm.
The festivities began at 3:00 p.m. with the arrival of Joe, Amy, and their families. Soon, the house was filled with revelers sharing stories, laughing, and giggling.
Joe and Amy were the first to arrive.
The “Rent-A-Food Detectors” assumed their position facing the kitchen. When their noses start twitching, please do not stand in front of them; you could get run over.
Awaiting food!
Greg came in, and Scout welcomed him to the foray! Scout and Greg get along just fine—mostly because Scout thinks Greg’s snacks are the only reason he ever shows up. Greg, on the other hand, is convinced that Scout is secretly training him for some sort of Olympic event involving frisbee and running away from squirrels!
Greg and Scout swap stories.
We were dressed and decorated for the day; everything was ready!
Justy us!
Bob and Donna strolled in, and Bob was bubbling with excitement. “I have a surprise for us!” he exclaimed. We all leaned in, thinking it might be a puppy or a vacation, but then he pulled out… a large paper sack! What could it be? He said no more until later!
Donna and Mary are great friends!
Stories were swapped, and the kitchen was bustling with activity! It was so busy that even the pots and pans started debating who cooked the best meal. The Heneral Tao Chicken was threatening to tie up the Low Mein in a pasta showdown, while the vegetables were protesting for equal sautéing rights.
In the midst of it all, the blender was trying to make a smoothie but couldn’t stop laughing at the paper wrapped chicken’s attempts to tell a joke! We could be heard several blocks away!
Stories are shared!
The Chinese dinner popped out of the oven so hot, it practically said “Ni Hao” with a sizzle! I barely had time to grab my oven mitt before it started steaming like it was ready for a spa day. I half expected it to burst into a dance and serve itself! Who knew dinner could be such a dramatic debut?
The feedbag is on!
The food alarms went off at the same time! Look out, teens heading for the food! We have never seen them move so fast!
Duh!
Daddy Joe filled his plate, and everyone was quiet. All you could hear was the loose dentures from the old folks chomping away at dinner.
“Who, me??”
Have you ever seen in the movies where the buzzards circled the dead animal? This is what it looked like! They only get to go around three times before having to sit down.
The vultures swarm the island.
Dinner was perfect, and Vicky brought ham, which was devoured faster than you can say “Pentagon planning meeting!” I swear the ham vanished like it was on a secret mission. We didn’t even get a chance to discuss how it was cooked before the plate was empty. Next time, Vicky needs to bring a decoy ham just to keep us distracted!
Dinner time!
It was time for the movie to begin, and walking down the hall was a… I do not know how to explain it. Needless to say, continue if you are NOT faint of heart and have not digested your food. **”YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! But don’t worry, the consequences are just a huge pile of laundry and a lifetime supply of awkward moments!”**
Ralphie’s jammies from his elderly aunt were stretched, and Bob decided to wear them to watch the movie “A Christmas Movie.”
Oh no!!!
We all giggled, and some had to leave the room to regain their composure!
This will go down in the annals of the Starlighters.
8″ by 10″ glossy reproductions will be available soon! (We have to find a printer that dies R-rated photos!)
It’s time for a video call to Colleen, where she is about to hit the hay! We all shared greetings.
Saying hello to Colleen
Time for Ralphie to get his BB gun, so Mary sent me to the He-Shed to get mine!
Aiming!
Vicky decided Rudolph’s nose was not bright enough, but a bottle of champagne would be better!
Rudolph will now be replaced!
What a wonderful day with family and friends!
Great Friends!
After everyone departed, we went to the TV Room to watch “A Christas Story II” but after a day of celebrating, we didn’t make it past the first half-hour.
Time to saddle up and head for home!
Visit Christmas Day on our website.
Getting ready for the trip tonight!
See the whole day!
The Lodge was decked out like a Christmas tree on steroids, and the Tom & Jerry station was ready to go! It was so prepared that even the cartoon characters were worried they’d get a ticket for being too animated. I half expected a mouse to pop out and start making cocktails while a cat DJ spun some tunes!
But for Elks, Tom & Jerry meant Eggnog! Egan wrote a book and subsequent play called Life in London, in which the main characters are named Tom and Jerry. He is believed to have introduced the cocktail to promote his book and play.
We arrived at 11:59, and the Tom & Jerry’s were ready!
Bob was there right before us.
Bob Z. and Bill Capps joined us.
Someone said we bring color to the party! I guess that makes us the human versions of a piñata—full of surprises, a bit messy, and best enjoyed when people start swinging by!
We were standouts.
These sweatshirts, over a quarter-century old, were given to Sue and me by her sister, Diane. It’s a tradition, and we wear them proudly.
Quick, to the sleigh, and away we go!
Mary gets the appetizer tree ready for our guests!
The greenery is right from the backyard!
The master chef arrived but needed his helmet before he could begin cooking.
Master Chef Bob put on his official cooking uniform!
Robin thought she knew when she saw the box label!
Upon opening, the Duda’s were excited as they are Disney people!
She knew every character on display!
Robin made a drink called “The Grinch.” I have no idea what it contained, but it was good!
Yummy!
Nick joined us for dinner and brought some chips and guacamole from his work. They were excellent. Bob’s sausages and unique toppings were amazing. I never knew the onions and butter would taste so good.
We sat around for an hour, just telling stories about long ago when we were kids and had to hide from the dinosaurs.
Mary could get a job at Christmastime setting up the Feuerzangenbowle, a traditional German alcoholic drink in which a rum-soaked sugarloaf is set on fire and drips into mulled wine.
It must be positioned perfectly.
What is the number for 911???
Flames could be seen for miles around!
We visited at the dinner table for another hour swapping stories of Christmases long long ago! We remembered stores “dressing their windows” for Christmas and waiting for Santa to arrive. Being the eldest, I remembered the most.
Some people remember walking to the Christmas tree lot with their dad, negotiating for the best price, and adding a track and train around the tree.
As I went to bed, I thought of Christmas in 1953, when Mom, Dad, and I would attend the annual Christmas Party at Ralph Lebowitz’s home (yes, he was Jewish!).
We would drive to his home up on the hills overlooking Culver City, and his managers from the ten dime stores would be there telling stories. I would always look forward to opening gifts, and I remember two items over the years that gave me pleasure:
Ralph, his wife Caroline, and their daughter Paula were terrific people. I hope Paula and I can get together this year for dinner and to swap stories. She was three years ahead of me at Hamilton High School!
These memories are so vivid I can see them in color and still identify the names of many people who attended yearly.
I also remember that at 9:00 pm mom and I would go home and dad would stay and someone would drive him home, he loved his High Balls! Dad drank Jim Beam highballs made with Jim Beam White bourbon, soda water, and a lemon wedge garnish.
We are off and running!!
Monday should be optional. We got up, and there it was, the alarm clock grinning like a fully-toothed alligator just waiting to explode to alert it is 6:00 am. Alert us? I can tell what time it is by how wide my eyes open!
We hit the gym with vigor and departed like steamed towels. But we were on a mission to go to the vampire artists; we had to get our blood drawn. I suggested we drop a can of red paint and draw that; my suggestion was NOT accepted. I had to face the needle. Paul was brave, nary a whimper as that size four needle (roughly 3/4″ in diameter) was plunged into my arm while next door, shrieks of pain came from Mary as they used a size 36 on her. They could have given a mosquito a shot with her needle, and he would not feel it.
OK, blood work done, and fasting is over; let’s hit the feedbag. Benji’s was right down the street, and my mouth was watering already!
Brunch at Benji’s
I had a half-pastrami with house salad and macaroni salad as a side.
More than enough for a small army!
It looked small, but I could only bite into it without wearing it!
Oh my!!
We then went to the dress store so Mary could have her New Year’s gown hemmed. While she was in the shop, I got busy with my new AI App!
Santa is here.
This is what I looked like after seeing the brunch bill!
Oh my, PAul got the brunch bill!
We had to see Dr. Bill as I had an ingrown toenail, and since we had a few extra minutes, we stopped at the beach, and I ran out into the surf in my Santa costume.
We stopped by the ocean on our way to Dr. Bill’s!
After seeing Dr. Bill, we went home and prepared for tomorrow’s Christmas Eve activities. We went shopping and repaired our liquor cabinet. By the time we got home, I was dragging!
At the end of the day, I was draggin’.
We visited Jeff and brought him some homemade cookies. Honestly, he was more excited about the cookies than seeing us! I mean, who could blame him? They were so good that I almost had to wrestle him for the last one. I half expected him to greet us at the door with a “Cookies? My favorite friends!” Next time, we might need a cookie bouncer to keep him from hoarding them all! After watching the movie Die Hard”, we trudged off to bed. I took Scout out for his even patrol of the garden.
Scout is a good boy, and he will sleep through the night!
Good night, all!
Before lights out, I checked the list one more time!
We’ve been battling a cold, and today, it decided to come back with a dramatic entrance—complete with a fog machine and a theme song! I half-expect it to ask for a standing ovation next!
We stayed at home except for a quick visit to the pharmacy to pick up some meds in the afternoon.
We worked around the house getting ready for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and watched several Christmas movies. Overall, we did nothing!
Mary received an electric cup warmer from Bonnie, which is perfect because many times in the morning, we get busy and end up with cold coffee.
While recovering, I played around with some “AI” image enhancers on the iMac, and they seem to work fine.
We crawled into bed after the last Christmas movie ended at 9:00 pm, hoping for a better tomorrow. Little did we know, tomorrow was a buffet of fun that included the gym first (because who needs sleep when you can lift ridiculous weights?), two blood tests (can’t wait to see if I’m more human than a vampire), and a visit to the foot doctor — all packed into a jam-packed morning schedule! Who needs caffeine when you’ve got a to-do list that sounds like the worst game show ever?
Writing the Daily Diary is how we remember our past activities!
Winter begins in Earth’s northern hemisphere at 1:20 a.m., PST, on December 21. The December/winter solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its minimum declination (-23.5 degrees). This is when the northern hemisphere of Earth is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible during the year. Mary loves it when I talk dirty!!
Mary asked me why I spend thirty minutes a day on the Daily Diary, but now she knows after asking questions like, “Who was here last Christmas Eve?” or “Who joined us at Easter two years ago?” etc.
As of this morning, we had 5,825 entries dating back to 1995! Mary and I have become esemplastic. She reads every post and provides me with suggestions. Being so bright, she often improves the content and ensures it is “G-rated.”
We are still ready for the season and now it is officially here!
We had no plans today (oh my!!) so we decided to go to Macy’s in Cerritos to get a unique dress for Dr. Mary. But first, we needed to eat, so we selected Old Ranch, which was perfect. We had a Hot Toddy and dined on Mexican food, which gave us the energy to go shopping!
Mary strolled over to visit Lampson, the club’s mascot who hangs out in the entranceway like he owns the place! If you’re going to be a quirky-looking lamp, you might as well be the best-dressed fixture on the block! When Mary arrived, she joked, “Lampson, are you still just shining your light on the competition?” He flickered in response, probably trying to come up with a witty comeback that was just, well… a bit dim!
Breakfast at the club!
We fought the traffic to get into the shopping center; oh my, what a mess. We are glad we were healthy as we parked in the “South 40” and walked to the store. We went upstairs, where the dressy dresses were found, and searched for the item she saw earlier in the week at Macy’s in Newport (they did not have the right size).
It was a beautiful forest green, and when she came out of the dressing room to show me, I tried to go back inside with her! I kept my wits and stayed outside.
It reminded me of the song Frosty The Snowman…
There must have been some magic in
That beautiful silk dress she found
For when she placed it on her herself
She began to dance around
We left for home around 1:00 p.m. and received a Christmas Eve update from Robin: the Pierogi lamp is now green! We have supplies for all our visitors.
On Christmas Eve, we will have the Dudas (Bob, Robin, and Nick), Connor (our grandson), Dianne and Fast Eddie, Bob and Donna Z, Jan Mongell, Dr. Hermann, and, hopefully, Jeff Smith.
Since Jan Mongel is so close, we will pick her up just before 5:00 pm!
Jan and Donna enjoying the holidays at Casa Valencia!
Master Chef Bob Duda will create his masterpiece pierogies, accompanied by special sausages (made from Aardvark and Duck-Billed Platypie, the plural for platypus), salad, and other goodies to make the evening memorable!
We will have Feuerzangenbowle (“Fire Tongs Punch”) going all evening!
Getting ready for Christmas Eve
We arrived home just before 2:30 p.m., and it was nap time. It took us less than half a second to fall asleep!
After getting up, we walked in the garden, and the iPhone rattled awake with an incoming from our Grandson, Conner! He is a good and polite young man (28 years old). He found a video of Papa chasing his pet dinosaur.
We watched Christmas movies the rest of the day, including “Christmas in Tennessee” and “Christmas In Mississippi.”
By 9:00 p.m., after Mary had prepared some homemade turkey soup, we decided to crash. Scout the Wonderdog did NOT want to go tinkle, so I fully expected him to wake me up later. He did, and at 11:15 p.m., he and I took a walk in the backyard.
The snowmen were having a party in the back yard!
That’s a long way down!
I was up, but Mary took a long winter’s nap, not getting vertical until 8:00 am. The roosters had their cup of coffee and were off to work. I was pounding the keys to get the birthday website into shape (Joe provided 100 pictures of the event).
Robin called and told us Nick had to work, so we had an open ticket. We asked Dru to join us, and she could make it! She’s always a pleasant addition to any event—like confetti in a vacuum cleaner or a cat at a dog show! You can’t help but smile, even if it’s slightly chaotic!
By 11:30, we started getting ready, with Mama in the shower belting out Christmas carols like she was auditioning for a Broadway musical—complete with her shampoo bottle as a microphone! I half expected the neighbors to call in a noise complaint for excessive holiday spirit!
Poor Scout, he howled the entire time!
Meanwhile, I was getting my clothes ready for the adventure. Since it would be 45 degrees in the evening, I went to get my ever-so-warm black leather jacket!
We went by and picked up Dru. Then, we headed to Corona, arriving at Robin’s at 2:30 p.m.! We shared a glass of Eggnog in a Moose Mug and visited Robin’s Christmas trees.
From “Christmas Vacation,” an Uncle Eddie special!
Robin, Bob, and Nick go all out at Christmas, decorated from stem to stern!
The Living Room family tree.
Robin’s Family Disney tree is fantastic!!!
The Den Disney tree.
From there, we headed to Riverside, where Bob drove the sleigh and the mighty eight reindeer. We landed just at the end of the day.
We meandered around like lost tourists for an hour, popping into every shop we could find—at one point, I almost bought a rubber chicken, thinking it was a pet! Finally, we decided to go to dinner, but only after figuring out how to leave the “shop till you drop” trend behind us. Who knew shopping could be more exhausting than running a marathon? The shops specialized in “junk” or, as Robin, Dru, and Mary would say, “Little Treasures”.
Bob and Robin led the parade.
Bob kept his hands to himself.
The stores were full of antiques (which is French for junk).
Shopping
Bob wanted to touch Santa, but we kept him away.
What your hands there, big boy!!
We found a large tree with huge silverized glass balls, and the reflection was perfect for a selfie.
The Christmas ball reflection came in handy!
The Inn had their famous dolls on display around the whole periphery! Santa waved us in!
Santa welcomed us to the Inn.
We could NOT pass this shop up! It was filled with unique items and charming decorations you couldn’t find anywhere else. The atmosphere was inviting, and every corner of the store held a delightful surprise. We browsed through quirky knick-knacks and handmade crafts, letting our excitement guide us from one treasure to the next. It felt like stepping into a winter wonderland, and we could not resist picking up something to take home as a memory of our adventure! Most of us put them back down and escaped without junk being brought home!
One more store.
We dined at Dwayne’s inside the Inn. I went for the special steak, and it was perfect!
Wagu Beef was their specialty!
Dru had a good time. She knew Bob and Robin from previous get-togethers and appreciated their humor.
Ladies!
Bob added a load of giggles to the table as the evening progressed.
We had a wonderful dinner filled with wine and spirits.
We were put in the corner for apparent reasons!
Just us!
We walked for a few minutes after dinner and decided to go home.
Liles To Tower; need clearance to land at home!
From there, we headed home via Robin’s house. It was an easy drive, and the fog was starting to settle.
http://lilesnet.com/Christmas/Christmas2024/2024-12-20-riverside/index.htm
As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end!” Colleen’s green card expired, and she had to return to reality: a fantastic husband, three kids, and four grandkids!
Before she took off, Colleen graced us with her presence at the Elks during Girls Night Out, where Iris decided to channel her inner ninja and attacked a dozen oysters. One moment, they were on the plate, and the next—poof!—they vanished faster than my willpower in front of a chocolate cake!
Someone likes their oysters.
We ordered a second dozen, and Iris took six home. I quickly devoured the remaining sea boogers, and of course, I sent a picture to my See Booger Partner, Vicky!
Delicious.
We took a group photo and had Sydney, Dad, Robin, and Nick join us today! The table was a hot spot for slings and arrows—great fun!
We are all here and awaiting Santa.
I told Nick how we “old folks” enjoyed his visits with us and that I was always the youngest in the crowd since Mom and Dad waited until they were married twenty years to have me.
Nick joined us this afternoon.
As we exited the Elks, we saw a menorah at the entrance.
We miss Marsha Brander!
There was a Hanukkah Bush in the other corner (a saying my father used to use).
The Elks tree is up and ready to greet guests!
Mary and Seymour the Elk look good together. Mary is the one with the red wrap!
Watch out, elks, she is dangerous!
We returned home and dropped off Colleen. She planned to take an Uber from our home to the airport, as we needed to be at the Legion before 4:00 p.m. to get a place to park!
We paid two dollars and had a place to park directly in front of the Legion. Luck was with us this evening.
We got to park right out front.
We walked around inside to see the decorations before going to the bar area, where we enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay.
Mary found herself daydreaming about the man in the shiny nylon uniform. Every time he walked by, she felt a flutter in her stomach, as if she were a little girl again. His confidence and charm were hard to ignore; they practically sparkled like the fabric he wore.
Note To Self: Get a nylon outfit!!
We walked around the facility.
Beep! Beep! An incoming photo. Emerson and Chuck had their picture taken and sent to Frameo and message devices.
Incoming… Emmerson and Chunk are all decorated!
We met Captain Dan, an old friend of Mary’s, and walked onto his boat, which was less than a stone’s throw from the Legion! We had wine and a comfortable seat, and the show continued!
The water was calm!
The water was so calm it looked like someone had spilled a giant bottle of baby oil in the bay. Just as I was about to comment on it, the boats started lining up, and there was the Grinch right up front—of course, he would show up to steal some holiday thunder! Looks like it was going to be a wild night!
The boats started early.
Captain Dan and Mary enjoyed the parade.
Mary and Captain Dan
The camera is never as good as the human eye but we got an eyeful for sure!
We saw them go around twice.
The sailboats take advantage of their masts to string lights all the way to the top! This one boat, in particular, had an incredible display—every inch was covered in colorful lights, twinkling like stars against the night sky. It was such a festive sight! The crew must have put in so much effort to make it stand out. I couldn’t help but smile at the creativity; it added to the magic of the evening as we anticipated the parade of boats to begin. It was shaping up to be a spectacular night!
This is what a mast is supposed to do!
The official American Legion Greeter was at her best, waving to everyone and offering them a drink! Her cheerful energy set the tone for the night, making everyone feel welcomed and ready to celebrate.
Mary waived at all the boats!
Several boats had spotlights flashing around and in the distance we could see 300 drones doing Christmas display in the sky!
A water train???
After a fun-filled evening, we were ready to go home! The night had been a whirlwind of laughter and good company, but as the excitement began to wind down, it was clear we were all feeling a bit tired. We gathered our things, shared a few last laughs, and made our way toward the exit, feeling grateful for the wonderful memories we had created with Captain Dan. It was the perfect end to a festive outing!
Time to go home.
We drove right home and then got a call! Colleen’s Uber driver did NOT show so she panicked and went next door to the Tong’s where they offered her a ride to the airport. It is wonderful to have such amazing neighbors.
Santa’s magic got her home!
We got some encouragement!
Waking up came as a surprise. I faced the BIG RED ALARM CLOCK, and it stated, in no uncertain terms, “Get off your fat butt and go to the gym!” Fat butt?? I am looking for the refund button on the Amazon screen! I want a clock that is accurate, but NOT that accurate!
We went to the gym, where I was stretched and pulled into shape. Round is a shape, correct?
I do it in all positions, sweat that is!
From the gym, we returned home and picked up Colleen to go to Benji’s for brunch! We stuffed ourselves, and to add insult to injury, I had a root beer float! I’ll show that personal trainer who is really the boss.
Did You Know? Also known as a “black cow” or “brown cow,” the root beer float is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but it can also be made with other ice cream flavors. Frank J. Wisner, owner of Colorado’s Cripple Creek Brewing, is credited with creating the first root beer float on August 19, 1893. A soft drink with a similar flavor, birch beer, may also be used instead of root beer.
The chain A&W Restaurants is well known in the United States and Canada for its root beer floats. The definition of a black cow varies by region. For instance, in some localities, a “root beer float” has strictly vanilla ice cream; a float made with root beer and chocolate ice cream is a “chocolate cow” or a “brown cow.” Sometimes, a “black cow” or a “brown cow” is made with cola instead of root beer.
We attempted to sneak in Colleen as an “Under 12,” but she did no quality!
We did a VFR from Benji’s to the South Coast Plaza Shopping Center, where we just walked around and saw the sights. It’s easy to put on a couple of miles as the shopping center is so big! THe step-counter on the iPhone said we did 5,100 steps!
It was a fantastic display!
The Christmas display was HIGH, two stories tall!! We walked all the way around it! It was at least three stories tall inside the shopping mall. South Coast Plaza has 2.8 million square feet of retail and dining space, including department stores Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Macy’s Men’s, and Macy’s Home.
Just us drooling at the wares on sale!
We pale with respect to this fantastic display! It is probably sixty feet from top to bottom with small inset villages and action figures/transportation hidden everywhere.
We are enjoying life and each other!
The individual Christmas scenes are excellent in their own right!
The Choo-Choo is a bit precarious, but it stayed in the tracks ten times while we were there! The crane was raising and lowering materials for the city below.
Ten thousand feet above sea level and still chugging along!
Behind the mountain is a magical place where Santa comes to hide from the children, but it seems they find him every year! We were planning to sit on his lap but a) we do not need anything except each other and b) he saw us and got up and ran away!
It looks as if it has just snowed!
We walked around the center for an hour, passing the massive tree at the west end of the facility. It is over two stories tall, and its top is incorporated into the stained glass cupola above it.
Decorating this beast has got to be a work of love!
We stopped at a tree made of little plants. Colleen told us to show our best sides, so we did! She got exactly what she asked for! The plants were poinsettias, and had to be 150 or more in each tree!
This IS our best side!
OK, we will turn around! Protect the camera lens; it is delicate!
Dressed for the season!
The mall is decorated everywhere, especially under the high ceilings around the escalators.
Indeed, a mind-boggling sight! How did they do this?
We returned to the car via the main floor, We stopped and took a picture of the top of the earlier decoration. In it, we can see Santa and his sleigh beginning their magical journey around the world.
It must take them days to put this display together!
We returned home around 3:00 p.m. and rested for the next adventure: a Christmas party at the home of one of the members of Mary’s professional groups. There, we met our insurance man, a financial lady, and several others, including Sydney and her father.
We were proud to have our daughter along for the trip! We met up with Sydney and her father at the party and celebrated with a glass of vino!
We stayed about an hour, met new people, and finally headed for home via Aces. Tonight was Karaoke Night, so we stayed for a quick glass of wine and headed home; it was much too noisy!
I caught up on my Naughty & Nice List! Which one are YOU on??
When we got home it was time to check for light leaks in our eye lids (i.e. we crashed)!
This past few days were a zinger. My mind was still moving, but the old body had to yell, “Hey, wait for me to catch up!”
We hardly moved from the house, just doing some needed chores and watching TV. There are days like that! You know, the kind where even your coffee needs a coffee and your to-do list looks more like a novel? It’s like the universe decided to throw a “let’s see how much chaos they can handle” party, and guess what? You’re the main event!
Colleen was out and about with her brother, probably plotting World Domination or just trying to find the best taco truck. She caught up with us late in the day, looking like she had just completed an intense scavenger hunt — complete with wild adventures, questionable snack choices, and a very worried brother who might need a therapy dog after this outing!
We crashed at about 8:30 pm, which was very early for us.
No kidding!!!
