Once Tom got up this morning I made up the latest batch of turkey soup.  Then I got Lily's gifts wrapped, packed, and mailed off to California today since her visit here never materialized..  Of course by the time I headed to the post office it was raining - and only in the low 40s.  Could be worse, of course; the high in Flagstaff today was predicted to only be around 20, so of course they've been getting snow. Snowbowl reports that they're "finishing out 2018 strong - with 7" of freshies since 11:00 a.m. and another 8"-15" in the forecast through tomorrow."

After a trip to the grocery store, where I found everything I needed for tonight's dinner, I was pretty chilled.  A bowl of yummy turkey soup was just what the doctor ordered!  Alex and Aja came over before heading out to run some of their errands, and also enjoyed some soup. 

Tyga is staying with us until "sometime" tomorrow (I'm sure Alex and Aja's celebration will continue well into the wee hours of the morning tomorrow, so I don't expect to see them until late afternoon!)

  Alex had carried Tyga over in the rain (so he wouldn't get his paws muddy) and thus he didn't have a chance to 'take care of business'.  Aja and I took him out back under the eve, but while he no doubt really needed to "go" he wanted NO part of the outdoors.  (Alex had better luck when he took Tyga out shortly after that.)  Poor pooch is in for a real shock when he moves to Madison, Wisconsin in a few days, where winter is a lot more serious!

Tom and I finished up the puzzle this afternoon (which turned out to be missing a piece) and have already started another one for this evening's entertainment.

The mammoth roast is taking considerably longer to cook than expected - but it looks/smells great, and should be worth the wait.  I did borrow some meat thermometers from Marcie, which registered the meat well above the "necessary" temperature.  But cutting into it after 3 hours showed it blood-red rare inside, so it went back in for another hour.  Also looking forward to the little potatoes that I doused with some of my new oil!

No nap today - but with plenty of chocolate on hand I expect to be able to stay awake until a decent hour and (possibly) usher in the new year.

Boot Camp yesterday wore me out, as usual - but especially since I stayed longer yesterday.  Also did more of the spin-cycling standing up (progress!) and again lasted the full time during all the planks. I definitely continue to make progress, even though I rank myself at the bottom of the group.   But in reality I am only "competing" against myself, so it was nice that Jim has also noticed and yesterday commented on my progress.

In the late afternoon I ended up taking a cat-nap on the couch

while "helping" Tom watch one of his taped football games.  

We got an early start on my New Year's Eve jigsaw puzzle yesterday -

This is how far we got.

Between the nap and the chocolate Tom "forced" me to eat, I wasn't tired last night - though at midnight (!) I decided I should try to get some sleep.  

Listened to 30 minutes of The Sparrow before some of my little white pills kicked in.  

Unfortunately I did not sleep in this morning as hoped; it was still dark (and the clock read 6:something) when I got out of bed.  But maybe another nap sometime today (and more chocolate tonight!) will enable me to make it to a respectable time tonight?

We polished off all the Christmas leftovers, with the exception of the turkey - and that's going into turkey soup today.  I also plan to cook the mammoth roast for dinner tonight.  Had hoped that Alex and Aja (who flew back to Arizona around 1:00 this "morning") will be joining us for dinner before heading out to celebrate with friends, but he thinks that they have their own dinner plans elsewhere - so I expect lots of leftovers from that huge roast!  

Luckily Tom does wonders creating new meals!

Hope to get the rest of the fruit/veggie fabrics recut today, and then maybe even move on to the next step.  Do need to make a quick run to the grocery store at some point (for some tiny potatoes to go with the roast, along with a green veggie) and also hope to get a package wrapped and then mailed at the post office.  Of course a soak in the hot tub is always on the agenda!

Today's crossword was easy (Monday's always is) and I quickly filled in all the blanks, with the exception of two sports figures, in less than 15 minutes.

So I guess it's time to go be productive!

Yesterday I actually did get started cutting out my fruit/veggie fabrics for the quilt I have planned for the bare kitchen wall - though I ran into a bit of a snag when some 'pre-cut' pieces turned out about an inch narrower than the ones I was cutting.  Will need some advice from friends about possible options I'm considering.

 Tom took notice of what I was doing, and (putting it mildly) was less than thrilled.  Seems he was planning to hang one of his Christmas gifts, an enlargement of one of his fire obsidian photos that Mike & Marcie had made, in that spot.  He asked if I was going to take up the entire wall (yes) and then 'complained" that would make the kitchen seem smaller. (?)   When he asked if I had a pattern (yes) he asked to see it - but I told him no.  He's never been very appreciative of my quilts, and I don't need/want to hear any more negativity from him about my plans.

Alex finally bought himself a shotgun yesterday (after much running around, and then finding crucial pieces missing) and is out assassinating innocent quail and dove today.  At least he's cooking them up for dinner. We didn't get to have any from his recent meal (he'd only bagged a few) though the pix on Instagram, and his description of ingredients, makes me hope we get to share in the next batch.

Tyga gets to spend the day with us again. Once it warms up maybe we'll take a walk.

While yesterday was chilly (as expected), the sky was blue and the sun was shining - unlike the day before, when the sky was a threatening dark gray.  Last night's lows here were going to dip well into the 30s, with freeze warnings. Glad winter doesn't last long here!  I spoke to Mom in the morning, where it was raining (again) and quite dreary.  However, on the evening news the meteorologist noted that it was warmer there than here yesterday!

Had a good tune-up at the chiropractor.  Nothing seemed "majorly" out of place (he often finds sore spots I didn't know about!!!) which was excellent news after the tumble I took the day before.

Watched our latest Netflix last night, an excellent 90-minute documentary about Jane Goodall. I didn't know that she had no scientific education or training - but that was exactly why Leaky chose her.

Drawing from over 100 hours of never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives for over 50 years, award-winning director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.  The film offers an unprecedented, intimate portrait of Jane Goodall — a trailblazer who defied the odds to become one of the world’s most admired conservationists.

I had tucked Tyga into "his" purple blanket up on the couch before I went to bed -

but some time during the night he had joined me at the foot of my bed.  When I returned from my nightly trek to the bathroom, I covered him up with the extra quilt "footage" that was hanging off the end of the bed.  But later, when I shifted position, he crawled up to the head of the bed and snuggled under the covers with me.  Can't really blame him!

Not sure if we'll go walking today.  Maybe once it "warms" up some?  Other things on today's agenda include choosing a calendar and then transferring all the bits and pieces of info onto it.  Also think I'll (finally!) get started on my fruit/veggie quilt for the blank wall in the kitchen.

(But it's a bit hard to finish a quilt you haven't even started yet....)

it's time to do a crossword puzzle!

Alex's patio cover is complete!  It looks great (even though it still needs to be painted) and I hope he gets lots of use out of it.  Not this week, though.  It's COLD!

  

The house itself also needs some stucco repair work, and Tom's plan is to have Carlo do that during his annual visit this winter.  Then all the painting can be done at the same time.

Tom helped Alex attach his new mirror onto the van yesterday, and once Mitch finished the roof project he helped Alex attach the light bar.  That still need to be wired, but at least there is progress.

And in other "progress", Marcie got her cast removed yesterday (as fervently hoped) and is now sporting just a removable brace.  Of course it will take time to bring that wrist up-to-speed, but knowing Marcie she will charge ahead full steam in order to get it working correctly. 

I don't seem to be any the worse for wear after my dance-and-fall yesterday, though the scrapes on my palm may "talk" to me at the gym this morning when I use the weights and machines.  My knee, which bled profusely (and for some time) is fine.  The biggest relief is that my back/hip this morning still do not seem impacted at all - which of course was my biggest worry!

This morning I did the Friday WP crossword puzzle.  When I got stuck I revealed a letter or two, and then finished up in a quite timely fashion.  It's a great way to start my mornings!

Now I think I'll brave the tundra weather (couldn't quite bring myself to do it last night!) and take a morning soak.  At least I don't have to shovel snow to get to it, but I do have to leave the warm snuggly house!  (Last night I added another quilt to the bed.... doubled over for extra warmth!)

Took me 27 minutes (and only one letter reveal) to complete this morning's crossword puzzle.  It was a big help once I figured out the "trick".

Took Tyga on a walk this morning, and of course when we got to Shelley's house her dogs started a ruckus.  I was so busy paying attention to that that I must have stepped in a depression on the grass, because I lost my balance.  Dancing about, I almost kept my balance - but did go down.  (To their credit, the dogs got quiet at that point, having "barked me down".... lol)  I skinned the palm of my left hand, and my right knee (under my jeans.)  So before we could walk Mimi ministered to me at her house while Tyga investigated their house and backyard.  She did have to pick out some specks from my palm (I was brave, and barely flinched) and my knee, which kept bleeding, is sporting a bandage.  Between the alcohol, peroxide, and Neosporin, I should be good to go.  The best news is that I don't seem to be actually hurt since I didn't go down hard, just scraped up some.

Alex seems to be sleeping in this morning.  I went over at 10 (after texting) and he was still in bed.  Since he wanted to be back in the early afternoon (when he and Mitch are going to work on his van) it would seem we've lost our opportunity for the hike. 

Finally got these pix from Alex's recent trip to Breckenridge.  It was quite cold (one day I think the "high" was 6 degrees) but he had a blast.

Yesterday I went to the gym, and since it was not my regular day I saw quite a few "new" faces.  Had a good workout with Jim for all the good it did... my "breakfast" and "lunch" consisted of chocolate!  Did better for dinner, though it was all carbs (which should be consumed earlier in the day for body use instead of body storage!) from Monday night's leftovers.  I literally had just picked up my phone and was getting ready to text Alex to see if the Dodge Dinner Diner would deliver when he and Tyga magically appeared with our three boxes.

Mitch was back yesterday working on the patio cover, which is looking almost done...though I had no idea how many steps are involved, and keep saying that! <g>  When Ritch stopped by the other day to drop off some things (including another box of Susi's books for me) he checked it out, and was quite impressed.  I think he is going to have Mitch build one at his house to replace the flimsy patio cover which blew off some time ago (during the monsoon winds?)

When Marcie and Latina came over yesterday we did sit out in the park, but more bundled up than usual.  The cold front has arrived (okay, people, quit laughing!) and temps will only be in the 50s for a while.  We didn't seem to get any of that 10% rain last night, which is good, and none is predicted for the next few days.  That should give Mitch a chance to lay the tar paper under-layer and then the roll-out next layer for roof protection.

This morning Tyga and I are going walking with Mimi and her dogs here in the neighborhood, and then Alex and I are hiking Camelback.  Of course we'll be taking the easier route, not the one he and Aja did recently.  

Tom was invited, but despite Alex's exhortations declined to join us.  There's no guarantee I'll actually make it to the top - and no doubt my pace will slow Alex's pace considerably.  But it should be a fun outing together.

Got a little behind with my blogging...

so will try to catch up some.

Monday afternoon Marcie and Latina came by, 

and Pokey shared her salad bar with Latina.

The over-ripe pear was a major hit with Pokey - but left her looking like she was foaming at the mouth! Tried to get a better pic of that...

But here she is afterward, "smacking her lips"... <g>

That night Tom and Alex and I decided to go out to dinner.  Knowing some places would be closed on Christmas Eve, we decided that Asian food was our best bet.  So our first stop was the Mongolian Grill - which was closed. Tom had mentioned Cain's, which got me thinking about their yummy chicken, so that was our next try.  It was also closed. Driving back and forth on Bell I'd noticed the new SlapFish restaurant all lit up (and remembered that several folks had raved on FB about their seafood) so we back-tracked to there - but it wasn't open either. At this point we were 0 for 3, so I suggested Carrabba's.  It was open, but it definitely was not a good sign that the parking lot was packed and there were mobs of people waiting.  Sure enough, the wait was going to be over an hour.

We ended up at Oregano's, which didn't have the massive wait.  Between the garlic bread and the (what-turned-out-to-be massive) appetizer Tom ordered since there was going to be a substantial cook wait for one of our dishes, all three of us were quite stuffed by the time our meals arrived.  No real problem - we brought them home as leftovers, which we'll no doubt enjoy tonight.

Christmas morning I was up at 5:00 at which point I deviled the eggs, then peeled and diced a huge pot of potatoes for the mashers.  Alex was actually (sort of) awake reasonably early, and called just as Tom was stumbling toward the coffee maker for his first cup.  But he seemed happy to hear that there was no rush to get started tearing into the pile of gifts under the tree.

Tyga was a big help, supervising!

There were a lot of food items, and (not) surprisingly, 

most of mine were in the chocolate category. 

Tyga was a big help, sniffing out food items!

Both Tom and Alex liked their salt and pepper grinders 

(and we tried out our set during our Christmas meal later.)

I got two calendars, so will have to choose.

Surprisingly I received no books this year.  However, I did gift several.

On your mark, get set, unwrap!

Can't wait to read this when Tom's done with it!

Hope Alex gets even half as many laughs out of his Broetry book as Marcie and I did!

Loved this when I read it over the summer - and it's right up Tom's alley!

Did accidentally get Tom a book he already had (and thinks I gave him a few years ago) so I've been reading and enjoying that one already.

I did, however, unwrap four quilting t-shirts.

Some of my other gifts were hummingbird earrings,

and a jigsaw puzzle (for our traditional New Year's Eve fun),

I guessed wrong on this gift from my sister; it turned out to be a spiffy set of five kitchen knives.  (Did much better guessing the socks.... lol!)

One of her gifts for Tom was the usual hoot - we cracked up over these pens!

Alex got some goodies for his van, including new side mirrors -

and seat covers.

There were lots more goodies in the pile, 

and I'd say everyone was happy with their gifts.

Linda and Rick joined us in the afternoon, when the five of us pigged out on a huge feast.  I had made a "re-run" of Thanksgiving, and they brought along several dishes to add to the feast.  

After we (eventually) finished pigging out, we played Taboo (always fun) and then Fact-or-Crap (also fun.)  It was a delightful day!