A Degas For All Seasons

This one's for you, Peggy. So sorry to hear about your toe and the flu, too! Awk!

Get well soon, toots!

And the best of all new years to everyone!!

Physical Bond II

Well...in trying to balance sexual representation on our blog, I have lost my original post. My apologies to those who commented.

Cough.

Anyone seen any good movies lately? I loved this one.

Happy Holidays

to all of the bloggers, and those that are just looking,perhaps future bloggers...
and pass it on to those that don't have a computer, yet(Greta!)

Baby It's Cold Outside

Or at least it is here.

Sorry to have been away so long and so mysteriously, I didn't intend to be. My dad has been very ill and I've been pretty busy with things related to that. And the holidays, of course. I will have to go to the recipe blog and post my recipe for the most amazing muffins I'm making as gifts -- they are made with coconut flour and blueberries. And speaking of traditions, Daniel, I go around to 2nd hand stores every year and collect all the coolest, funkiest plates from the '60's that I can find, then make dear little muffins like these to put on the plates and give as gifts every year. This gives me an excuse to give my friends way-cool plates to keep, since just handing them an empty plate can seem odd. My tradition of 2 or 3 years now, I guess. Maddie helped me wrap some up tonight.

Anyway, I just wanted to explain my absence (just as in high school , I guess) and to wish all a great holiday season.

July 21st is going to be here before we know it.

And this is going to be so cool I can hardly stand it.

with love Claudia

p.s. a little Degas for Story! Hope you are better soon!

Recognize any of these kiddies?

Can you find any of your SHS classmates in this picture? Look for Rebecca, Andy, Peggy, Jane Cross, Julie Ross, Sue P?, Robin Shore, ...maybe more.

I am still looking for the ones with Claudia in it. Her grade school pic reminds me of the little girl in the movie Wait Until Dark.

Happy Holidays: Your Favorite Tradition (....Tradition)

What’s your favorite holiday tradition this time of year?

Feel free to Share & Tell…..and I’ll tell you, initially, why I enjoy this time year so much:

First, there’s seems to be a struggle and a challenge on the West Coast to find the feeling of family, given so many of us are newcomers living far away from our roots (That’s me raising my hand as high as possible.)

For example, it was with great chagrin and regret that I bid my first cousin goodbye a few years ago when she and her wonderful family moved to Kansas City from Novato in Marin County, CA where we both lived.

So now Linda and I are without any immediate family in Marin County, though it’s nice her folks are 60 miles away to the south.

Seeking more and ongoing connection and bonding with community, we’ve found surrogate replacements, such as the Swing Dance community (lots of fun!) and (for me) conservation volunteering (local Audubon chapter).

But none of it replaces true family……which is why my vote for a favorite holiday tradition is to send out a plenitude of holiday cards, each with a current photo of our little threesome tribe: me, Linda and our Dogter: Sierra, a sweet-sweet, 12-year-old black labrador.

Getting together with friends at holiday time is also heart-warming…….This year, Joan Walsh, kicked off the holiday cheer in a special way a couple nights ago by inviting us for her Tree Trimming Party. Thanks Joan (!) – and Linda and I enjoyed meeting your daughter, Nora, your siser, and your friends, in addition to marveling at your cool and elegant abode. Great to see you!

Daniel Edelstein, who better get busy with the holiday card sendout (i.e., this year’s version has an artistic Snowy Owl on the cover, one of your Wisconsin winter rare visitors……)