What made you smile today?

lovely

Yesterday I failed to drink enough water before our "Jingle Bell Run". This
resulted in a hammy cramp for me in mile 2. I told Rhys to keep going, I
would catch up. So I moved off to the side and stretched a bit. That
helped some, but not completely. I had to chase down Rhys running like
Walter Brennan doing Grampa McCoy.

Georgeous, but I don't know the city - Hamburg?

Today was a semi smiler, as Diane and I are worried about a friend here in Abq (accident with new truck with injuries for him, and a couple of weeks later, strong and sudden signs of concussion. But... in the meantime, we don't know if he is better yet. Still, she needed a certain very good dog food for Sallydog and picked me up for a donut and then dog food riding adventure. The vet's place is in Corrales, my favorite area in New Mexico. Sun was glorious. Temp was doable without a coat... I thought, 39, eh. I had on jeans and a pretty heavy long tee and a woolly vest, wool beret, thickish scarf. I'll call the day beautiful and semi-bracing at the same time. I say that briskly.

That wouldn't be Michael in the accident, would it? Best wishes for him.

Glad Sally dog is still around, but she surely must be very old.

Yes, it's Michael. I think he is at UNM; a few days ago, he didn't recognize one of his sons, which sparked a rush to emergency, if I have it right. Diane is in off and on phone touch with his wife, mostly off. I'm an ancillary person but I love him too. Hard enough him being hurt..

Sally is thirteen and still fairly peppy, knock on wood.

I was at the store today, and said to the cashier, "You look like April in Parks and Rec"

Without missing a beat, she totally crammed the last item in the bag, thrust it at me and said, "Leave....Now."

I felt honored to be dissed by the spawn of Satan.

I let Diane know re your good wishes so she can add them to hers and mine if she gets in touch with B and it's appropriate (I'm worried).

The picture is of Kaliningrad. When my mother lived nearby, it was Königsberg. Odd spot in a way - still part of Russia - tucked in between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic.

Thanks. I've interest in that area, from friends, and the odd spots of learning re a2k.

Remember me rambling on about our friend Harvey on food threads? Orthodox parents from Lithuania.

I'll be quiet, as this is veering from smiling, my fault.

Sorry not to worry and smile at this before.

Cramps scare the scallopini out of me, so I empathize.

To Roger especially - late yesterday I learned that Michael is gradually getting better and that whatever tests or procedures they ran didn't show a problem. Big relief, for him, his wife and sons, and us friends.

Thanks.

- A Christmas phone call from my California cousins, great to hear from them. They're actually the only cousin family left at this point; the good news is their children (that I also love) are fine, although getting on in years now too. But, their children's children are fine, far as I've heard, too.

Those generations just keep growing under us.

As an only child with my niece (my ex's brother' daughter who I partly helped raise in the early tough years for them and is still dear to me)... no kiddies happening. Which is easily fine with me.
Different worlds, in a way, but, in a way, double the enjoyment of my varied family.

I lied, I think. I probably have some Boston cousins left, but I don't know. The cousin I communicated with all these years passed, and I'm not in touch with her daughters that I never met. But, hey, maybe CA cousin still is.

Woke up early. Wandered around doing stuff. Sat down. Realized I'm ravenous. Don't really want to cook.

Realized I've got pastrami AND half a potato burek in the kitchen. Making tea and smiling while I wait for the burek to warm up.

Finished Christmas preparations - looking forward to tomorrow - only four hours to go!

ended up skipping the burek in the morning - had a quarter of a beef burek when I got back from swimming

__

high five from the swimming coach made me smile as did a quick visit with one of the neighbourhood drunks on my walk home from the pool. J's a nice guy, just a bit too beer-needy.