Sittin' and Chattin'

It was a very relaxing morning. Joe went off the work, but the rest of us sat and chatted, for over two hours. Just about anything and nothing in particular.  Always so nice to have a chance to catch up on Jeri.

But Jeri doesn't do "sedentary" very well and wanted to get out and do something.  Alice Nan is kind of that way too.  Walt can go either way.  I am sedentary. They tried to convince me that a walk along the beach and up to the UC Santa Barbara campus would be great fun but I pointed out I would hold them back because I couldn't keep up because of my knees and my weight (also that phrase "up to the campus" was somewhat daunting, as I am familiar with the hill that needed to be walked and it didn't sound like fun one bit!) 

Then Walt suggested I come with them and read in the car while they walked.  But here there are soft, comfy couches and books and TVs and food and why would I want to sit in the car in the sun for a couple of hours and use the smelly outhouse if I needed to. 

So they went off and I stayed here to have a shower, and then settle in for some guilt-free reading, since this isn't my house and there are no chores I  feel guilty for neglecting!

They returned around 3:30 and we headed back to Tom's to be there by 4:30, our appointed time.  We had such a fun evening with the girls.  Bri had received a veterinarian package yesterday, and was happy showing off her new duds.

After a delicious turkey soup that Tom made we settled into the living room for "movie night," watching the movie Mulan, which they had given Jeri for Christmas.  During the movie, we finally had our tea party using my old tea set from my childhood...my mother never gave it to me so I could have tea parties with Jeri, so it skipped a generation, but tonight I had a tea party with Jeri and Bri and Lacie.

Lacie enjoyed it more than anybody and drank so much tea, Laurel had to make a second pot.

I loved watching Lacie run around climbing all over Tom and saying over and over again "I love you, Daddy."

So it's over for another year.  Tomorrow we pick Jeri up at Tom's and then drive to Marin County, to have another Christmas with Walt's brother and cousin and their wives, then home to get ready for Christmas with my mother on Sunday.