Merry After Christmas... Christmas!

The big day has come and gone.   It's over and now we can get back to almost reality.   Cheryl is already back at work, scoring papers for the GRE.   I have one coming up in February,  so unless something else comes up,  I'm sort of free for the next month.  

Our Humble Christmas

Overall,  Christmas was good this year.   Not GREAT,  Not awesome!  Just good.  I would say slightly better than fair.   It is difficult to get overly excited about things when you were able to get most of what you wanted before the big day.  

With Simon the Cat

  I got my Bike a month earlier than expected.   Cheryl got her shoes and clothes and New GARMIN.  I even got all my socks and underwear!   What was left to put under the tree was only stuff for the cat.   He certainly had a good time. 

Toys and treats.

Most of the Presents were for Hiro.

Being an only cat,  we tend to spoil him. 

Hiro tries to be festive.

And some new clothes

 With a little left over holiday cheer,  I was able to hook the local dogs up with a sizable, candy-cane, rawhide chewy!  I still have two left for the last neighbors dogs.   They must have went away for the holidays.   Hiro made sure to test it out before we could present it. 

Even Hiro had to take a break!

 I'm actually thankful it is over.   Not to be Scroogy or Grinchy,  but sometimes Christmas has more octane than your humble four cylinder engine can handle.   I imagine most people were having parties with relatives and friends, children, grandchildren, extra dogs and cats, and maybe even an Elephant.  But for us,   just Cheryl, me, and the cat are all that's required.   

Who doesn't have an elephant? 

Hiro tries to help with the puzzle.

Instead of loud brats..Children, barking dogs, hidden cats, loud music, high calorie foods, and barrels of alcohol,  We decided to put a 1000 piece puzzle together on our coffee table.   I told Cheryl that 1000 pieces was a little ambitious. Whenever we do one of these puzzle at her folks,  there are no less than 6 people putting it together at any time.  But for just the two of us...  Well,  it was an all day affair.   Even the cat tried to help.  I'm not sure he was very helpful though.  

He thinks there is a piece under the table.

In the end,  We finished about 50% before calling it.  Next year we should try a 500 piece puzzle.  

Lego movie...with a "message". (Boo!)

We finished the evening with a movie.  The Batman LEGO movie.   Pretty good.   Funny.  Lots of references for the older folks and fans.  Unfortunately, it ultimately had a "message" that all Hollywood movies are plagued with these days.  (Well,  Even in the old days, I guess.) 

One last note before wrapping up this long post:  The Weather!  

 

Cheryl sits by the fire.

And shows off her presents.

It has become bone-chilling COLD!  Cheryl ran in it yesterday, and it was so cold she called it after 5 miles!   Her new GARMIN quit on her after about a mile.   (She blames the cold.)   Today,  the temps are even COLDER!   Subie had a rough start this morning... Typical of temps in the single digits.   Good thing we are not going for a run today.   Cheryl tells me that the temps are supposed to stay like this for the remainder of the week.   I even found out that there is a winter storm named after me!  How Awesome is that!   Winter Storm Ethan.... Sounds so....POWERFUL!   Better to be named after a winter storm than say,  a drought. 

Hope it warms up for Baby New Year

Hope everyone who reads this has had a wonderful Christmas.   There are still a few Stockings that need to be made, And a few Christmas presents Cheryl and I have to acquire... with all that "Christmas Stocking money"...  (Shrug)  Cheryl still plans on running in the New Year... in Madison.   So next weekend, I  may have some more pictures to blog about.  Hopefully the weather is not too cold... as Baby New Year will be running the race naked... as usual.   No one wants to start the New Year off with Frost Bite or Hypothermia...  

Who doesn't want an Elephant for Christmas?

And make sure you keep that Christmas Elephant off the couch!   

And keep them warm...  they live in Africa, after all...   They like warm fireplaces.....