CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

This was a very productive day.  I got a lot of cleaning and decorating done and feel much more ready for Christmas.

The other night I finally finished the front window.  This is not the greatest picture, but you get the idea.  It really looks very nice.

The sign at the bottom says "Merry Christmas".

My friend, Debbie, came over this morning and we really worked at putting things together.  I don't know what I would do without her help.  

Here are some more of my Cherished Teddies on the shelf in my living room.  That shelf gets changed with the seasons and more times than not it has teddies on it.

Isn't my little Christmas polar bear so cute with this gift?  He didn't look right just sitting there so Debbie came up with the idea to give him a little box to hold.

When I was getting out my Christmas things I found this little picture.  I don't know where I got it.  I'm sure it must have been a gift from someone, but I don't remember who.  Oh, to have a memory again...  But I digress.  Because I have a snowman theme this year, I thought it went just perfectly with it.

And the tree is finally up!  It isn't decorated yet, but I have a topper I made from bows and the lights on it.  I put a few things on that I happened upon, but tomorrow I will get the ornaments out and hang them.

Every summer my sister and I go to a Christmas store in Kitchen Kettle Village and buy an ornament.  We look through the whole store and pick just one.  This is this year's ornament.

This is made from olive wood from Bethlehem and is a nativity scene.  I got it in New Jersey last year.

This was my summer ornament from last year.  I love sparkly things.

The little reindeer is hanging on the front door's doorknob.

And the jingle bell wreath is on the back door.

I was beat and I think I wore Debbie out too.

After all of this we went food shopping.  We were quick about it, but the snow was coming down fast and when we got out we had gotten about another half inch and now it was freezing rain.  The road was really slippery.  And it's not even winter yet for another 7 days!  Oh Spring, where are you?  Snow is pretty if you don't have to go anywhere and can sit inside looking out of the window while sipping hot chocolate.  But driving in it?  Not my idea of fun.  But God got me home safely and that is what counts.  And I got all the food I needed and then some.

Ever since Oreo got adopted by my next-door neighbor (I'm so happy about that) I have been feeding a beautiful white cat with one blue eye and one yellow eye.  She has been living in my alleyway because it is covered.  Last night I put a blanket out there because it was so cold.  Tonight she came out looking for me because she had no food.  The blanket was caked in ice and her water was frozen.  She was icy cold to the touch and she was covered in snow.  Joe couldn't stand it and brought her inside.  (We both have a tender heart when it comes to strays.)  She didn't want to come in.  We thought she would stay a few minutes to warm up and then leave again.  But she seems to have adopted us.  Joe calls her Snowy because he brought her in from the snow and she responds to that name.  Maybe that was her name already?  She is extremely sweet and although Jenny is not happy, they aren't fighting the way she and Oreo were.  Maybe because Oreo was a male?  So Snowy is now asleep by the front door and Jenny is sulking in the bedroom.  I'm hoping we can keep Snowy.  We'll see how it works out.  We are going to take her to the vet on Monday to get her checked out.

(Don't look at the clutter!)

I have to run.  I have to bake muffins for breakfast at church tomorrow.  Fortunately I have two mixes (one sugar-free, one not) so it won't be too difficult.
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Today's weather
Snow/freezing rain
High:  34 degrees
Low:  31 degrees
Sunrise:  7:15 a.m.
Sunset:  4:36 p.m.
9 hours and 21 minutes of daylight