Getting Into the Season, Quiet Day One, Practice, Happy Christmas Eve!

When I woke on Sunday, Dec. 24^th, Christmas Eve day, it was 5:55 am. I didn’t feel tired enough to drop off but I also wasn’t ready to get up yet. My mind took over. Something from a message yesterday from my daughter stuck with me and that was all I could think about. It was all good but she is responsible for the thoughts that came into my head. Thanks a lot, Bridgette! (said with an outpouring of love, of course!)

In an hour, after a few more tosses and turns, I sensed that Bill was still sound asleep so I got up and went for a walk. I’d opened the blinds and it looked like another lovely calm day coming our way. This time, no clouds anywhere! Yay! It was brisk at 5C/41F but I had my mini gloves on to keep my fingers warm. I did the park perimeter, didn’t meet a soul this morning and returned after a mile and a quarter.

First time for everything
I've never seen one of these in bloom

Bill and Clem were still in bed until just before 8 am they came downstairs. It is nice when Clemson sleeps in like that. I made our drinks and we sat and read up on what our blogger friends have been doing. Now that Bill and I are on Messenger, we took the time to send a Christmas message to our contacts. Sorry for those who I put in a group, I’m new at this! It is a wonderful way to let people we know, but don’t communicate with often, that we are thinking of them at this time of year.

Pretend the blur wasn't there
This is what we sent to everyone with our wishes

I had my shower and then made my eggs while Bill showered. He likes an omelette so I had his ready with a toasted bun.
I have our Christmas music playing, sing it to me, Willie. 😊 Bill and I went for a walk with Clemson to take the garbage over. It is such a gorgeous day!! 68F already at 12 noon. No wind so it is perfect! When we got back, I cleaned up breakfast dishes while Bill used his California Duster on the truck.

Interesting what a little flash will do
This picture of the knot in the fence was with flash

This one is without and shows the shuffleboard game on the other side
Why is that interesting? I don't really know

He got out the vacuum and I put all of our dvd’s and cd’s back in the cupboard. Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you about that. Best laid plans………..you know. Over a year ago, Bill made two shelves for one of our wide open shelf-less cupboards using an adjustable system. We have sorted and repurged our collection and these are ones we are definitely keeping. Dvd’s and cd’s, I mean. In other words, we aren't lightening the load by getting rid of any.

I do move quickly when I walk in the morning
not quite as fast as this depicts though

Our Suite and site from the back

It didn’t quite work like we thought so the other day I emptied everything so he could re-examine the ‘system’. The shelf tabs seem to be breaking and not holding the weight no matter how much moving around I do with the cassettes. After looking at it, we decided to wait until we can get into the city again to work out his idea. I don’t question it, he’ll make it work and that will be that.

Right now, everything is all stacked on top of each other
Temporary

this is the cupboard on the other side
showing the shelves Bill made and installed

So, Bill moved outside to read after having finished a couple of things on his short list for today and I walked up to the clubhouse. Of course, I have my phone, Canon Powershot and new tripod with me. I have to practice! At the cactus garden, I wrapped Cam*Rah around the pole and posed. 

Hmm, worked well. Up at the laundromat seating area, I wrapped it around the wishing well and posed. Yay! so far so good.

I warned you!

There was already a small 500 pc. puzzle started when I went in so I prepared to sit and work at it. But first, check the books out and I noticed a Michael Connelly and a James Patterson novel. I’ll take those, thank you very much! I’ve finished my Stuart Woods and as good as it was, I know it isn’t one Bill will enjoy so I dropped it off in the box. It was then that I realized that the puzzle border wasn’t done, although many other ‘easy’ pieces were put together. 

Mom would slap our fingers if we did this
The border pieces are in the bag

Better

That’s not fair and in my learning, that’s not the way to do a puzzle. I have Mom’s voice in my head, obviously, so set to work putting the border together before doing anything else. Then I carried on. I made good progress, as I said it was too easy, and Kate the lady who started it came in and joined me for the last 15 minutes. I think the puzzle was special to her as she told me it came all the way from Wisconsin.

Suzie texted that they were going to the Ice Cream Social at 2 so I walked back and the 4 of us wmeandered up together. I probably didn’t need it, but I had a vanilla AND a chocolate scoop with syrup, nuts and 2 cherries. Oh my goodness! It is a good thing we have already decided on a light supper tonight.

Yum!

As usual, we had a nice chit chat with George and Suzie only to be continued at their place at 3. Yup, Happy Hour is a daily thing when we’re with friends. Today is a day when my mug will hold tea though. The clouds have rolled in and a breeze has kicked in.  I’ll be taking a sweater over in case I need it.

This flag was just hanging limp until 2:30

I just remembered something that I found out in Mexico on Saturday. We stopped in at the Purple Pharmacy to check pricing on my shingles medication and cream. And….. I was blown away. They don’t have the exact same name but it is still for shingles and the pricing was excellent. I’m going to Google the two names she gave me and check also with my doctor back home. I don’t need any more this winter so I'm in no rush.

It was the cream, Zovirax, that was the biggest surprise. At home for a 4-gr tube their price is $99. In Los Algodones, a 5-gr tube is $13.44. Wha??? I know where I’ll be buying it from now on. I was perfectly willing to purchase a substitute over the counter itch cream but now I don’t have to!

We carried our chairs and drinks over to the Yates’ for Happy Hour at 3 and it was soon apparent that I didn’t need my sweater so it hung on the back of my chair. It took Clemson a while to settle down, first on Dad’s lap, then mine, then Suzie’s lap. Up and down, up and down and then I understood the problem. Our puppy dog was excited for Santa to come!

And the sun sets on Christmas eve

 After a few more things discussed and resolved, we toted our seats back home to the Suite. It was only 4:30 so I sat outside for a while in the sun, perusing the Avon books I picked up at Teri’s Avon Store in Lake Havasu. I’m not sure until I go online which campaign they are working on but I see quite a few great deals. I have a nice credit already on my account so want to be sure to take advantage of some good buys.

Shortly after 5 I went for a walk up to the clubhouse with the 500 pc. jigsaw puzzle I ‘borrowed’ from Ridgeview RV Resort. Now I can rest easy and I’m in St. Nick’s good books again. After all, that is what this honour system is all about. Borrow from one park and donate at another.

The puzzle I was working on was finished and I wasn’t surprised one bit. Such a small thing. If I get to pick the next one, it will be a little more difficult and a little bigger. I came out of the puzzle room through the pool area and bent down to test the water. Oooh, that is nice! Maybe I’ll be taking a swim early on December 25th for the first time ever.

When I got back from my walk, I fulfilled a promise I made before I went out. The dryness down here in the southwest is doing a number on our feet. Well, on our heels specifically and I know how much my sweetie loves me to pamper his feet. So, I got out the stool and the emery foot file and cleaned up his cracked heels. Finishing off with a foot cream, they should be good for a couple of days. I don’t mind doing them at all, I’ve always said he has baby soft feet. TMI, (too much information) yah I know!

Grilled cheese, onion and tomato sandwich
The pickles and olives are the 'salad'

Just before 6 I started pulling things out for supper. Buns, cheese, butter, onions, tomatoes and a fry pan. We’d decided on grilled cheese and boy, they hit the spot, especially after a nice ice cream sundae this afternoon. We cleaned up dishes and by 6:30 we were ready to relax on this fine Christmas eve.

I hope it has been a fun day for you, if you have little ones or not. I’m sure back in Ontario that they are all tucked in bed. At least they should be, it is almost 9 o’clock! 

A few things I’m sure of:

Stockings are hung and the kids are in bed,  trying to put Christmas out of their head.

They know if they’re awake when Santa arrives, they may end up simply with oranges and chives (?).(better than hives!)

I do miss the moments, when I was bustling around, wrapping last minute gifts, all the things that I found.

We had fun, all those years ago
making children happy

Making adjustments to penmanship and special paper I had bought, tiptoeing like a church mouse, hoping all wasn’t for naught.

My children are grown now and are picking up the trend, and if I have my wish, the dream will ne’er end.

Bill and I helped out at a secondary school in 2008
this little girl was whispering her wishes to 'Santa'
so her parents couldn't hear
It warmed my heart then as it does now

Merry Christmas EVE everyone! Crack the bottle and the snack and enjoy the only December 24^th we’ll ever have in 2017. Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment.

See if you can recognize Santa Claus from 2008

And just before I posted this, Bill's phone rang. It was Jessica, his youngest daughter. 

This young lady has been in my life since she was 5 years old and feels like one of my own. She gave us the wonderful news that she and her boyfriend, Matt, have just become engaged!! Wow!

We are so thrilled for Jess and Matt. Congratulations!!