Christmas and Dragons

Good News - the world didn't end in the early hours of Dec 21.  A fine start to any day.

Yesterday wasn't nearly as busy as Thursday, thank goodness.  I don't think I could stand too many days like that.  We did get Peaches up to the vet to get her bordatella vaccine - now it's a liquid that is put in the dog's mouth - no more spraying it up their nose.  We arrived a little early and by the time we left it was only 4 minutes past our appointment time.

I'm a little weird about Christmas.  On Jan 25, if I'm out buying something or in general just seeing people, I'll tell them it's only 11 months until Christmas. Each month on the 25th, I'll mention how long until Christmas. This usually illicits groans, sighs and, on my part, giggles. This year, 2012, I was picking on my favorite cashier at Smith's (our local grocery store.)  Mickey always reacted with a "Aw, don't SAY that!" and is generally grinchy about it - but with a smile. I started making my Christmas cards in July and really worked on them in August.  Now I was telling Mickey how many cards I'd made in the previous week and hinted that he was going to get one.  So the season finally rolls around and I'm giving out my cards.  Then I realized I hadn't given Mickey one and most of my very ornate ones were ready for someone else.  Then I remembered a card I'd made a few years ago and wondered, at that time, who and when I'd have an ocassion to give it away.  It was perfect.  So I had to go to Smith's for a few things I'd forgotten when I shopped for Christmas Dinner and I took along the card.  I breezed past Mickey's station and dropped off my card.  Even though I was behind him, he knew I was there and commented that he saw me. I just continued on.  I gathered everything I needed and then came to his station to check out. I asked him if he'd opened the card yet.  He told me he had and that I'd gotten him.  He never expected a Happy New Year's card from me.  So mission accomplished - I "got" Mickey.  Now, what shall I do next year?  I'm sure I'll think of something.

At four, I went to the Zumba Gold class at the Senior Center for the first time in a month. With all the stuff that's been going on at home for the last month I haven't managed to make it to any classes. And next week I'll miss the Friday class (no class on Tuesday - it's Christmas) as we won't be here. Anyway, it was a good class. I didn't manage to do all the routines as I couldn't see Natalie very well - I'm usually in the front row but not yesterday.  About 15 minutes before class was to end some of the women saw something on the floor that was moving around. I asked what it was and they said it was a lizard.  One of the women moved her sweater so it wouldn't get on it.  I went over to where it was and managed to catch it - it was all of 2-3 inches long and fast little devil. We all knew why he'd come in - it was less than 30 degrees outside.  But we couldn't really leave him in the building.  So I held him while class finished up, I couldn't do much at that point with trying to keep him from jumping down and running off.  Finally I went outside and released him in some dried plants in the garden on the south side.  Lizards do survive the winter all the time so he should be okay - but at least he wasn't going to starve in a building or be killed by some person scared of lizards.  Yes, I kind of like lizards. I also like snakes but usually don't bother them as I'm not as familiar with identifying the poisonous ones.  Now, if I saw an honest-to-gosh Dragon - that's another story all together. I'd probably walk right up to it and get charred for my efforts.  But I REALLY like dragons.