So here is the view from my front porch on Christmas morning.
It was bright and sunny and about 66 degrees. It was also pretty windy. We had our big family Xmas on December 20. Thereby, our celebration on Xmas day itself was just me, Doc, Elli, Kenni, and Vinni. Here was Elli on Xmas morning. She wasn't motivated to get up.
I went for a nice long run, then came home and showered. Doc had a hankering for a hamburger. We went to In N Out, but they were closed. So was KFC. So this is what we ended up with for our lunch on Christmas Day.
Good old McDonalds. It was yummy, even though it wasn't gourmet. Then we took all three dogs for a nice long walk for their Xmas present. They mostly loved it, except for the part where we crossed over the 405 freeway on a bridge. Vinni is scared of cars, so this wasn't his favorite, but he soldiered on. Later on, I went to the Clipper game up in Los Angeles with one of my best friends. Here I am, in the corner of the kitchen.
I wore my trusty Levi's jeans, a light gray turtleneck and a glittery sweater vest. Here's a closeup of that vest.
It's funny - I got this vest at JCP, and I wore my favorite JCP necklace.
On top, I wore a black leather jacket. I also wore black leather Guess booties.
It was a great game !!!! So exciting, and our Clippers unexpectedly won!!! Jamal Crawford was absolutely awesome!!!
I got home about 11:30 and went right to bed. I had an agenda for December 26th. I got up and went to Macy's to return the Clarks shoes I got for Doc. They didn't have wide ones. I got two sweaters on sale. Then I went to Old Navy to get Elli some new sweaters, but the store was picked clean. I had heard that most stores were basically sold out of merchandise, and that was true of Old Navy - there was nothing worth buying there. Then I went to Salvation Armani because they had a 50% off sale, and Doc needed new pants. He likes me to get them at thrifts or consignments, because it's economical and it's recycling and conservation. We are both very careful with wasting water, power, and recycling everything possible. The city provides nice big bins. I got 6 pair, in perfect condition - 2 Dockers, 2 Bill Blass, 1 Nordstrom, and 1 Union Bay cargo (for casual wear). I spent $29. I saw another doctor that I work with there, doing the same thing. We joked about it, and were happy to discover that we weren't competing for the same size.
Then Doc cooked up one of his awesome omelets for lunch. After lunch, we went over to the city of Orange. It's about 15 minutes away by freeway. In the 1800s, it was the center of agriculture in Orange County. Many antique homes and buildings still exist. We parked a few blocks away and strolled down the streets and through the many antique shops there. Doc likes to collect antique medical books. I like jewelry, clothing, and general kitsch. We took Elli with us, because all the restaurants and stores are dog friendly. It was colder today, and windier. It was 59 in HB, and 63 in Orange, which is inland from the beach. Elli wore her hoodie.
Most of the shops surround the Orange Circle - it's a traffic circle. On the way, we saw the Orange County Fruit Exchange.
We also saw many charming Victorian homes. I particularly like this yellow one - it is so cheery!!
The circle was all decorated for Christmas, with Santa, a toy soldier and a nativity scene.
On the northeast corner, there is an old Wells Fargo bank, which still operates. This is it, but there was a lot of glare.
Just down the street, the Chamber of Commerce resides in a beautiful colonial style mansion.
I got a silk tank and blouse set for $2, and Doc got a book called "Principles and Practice of Obstetrics" published in 1943, for $22. The we came back around the circle, and heard a noise up in the trees. We looked up and saw a flock of wild parrots squawking in the palm and orange trees.
They are green, with red cheeks and yellow beaks. There were a couple of flocks, about 20 parrots in each flock. Legend has it that a private citizen had them, couldn't stand the squawking, and set 6 of them free back in the 60s. In the ensuing 50 years, they have multiplied to the point of infestation. But nobody minds, because they are so much cuter than the crows, which are basically the same size and just as noisy. I used to work at a hospital in Santa Ana about 7 years ago, and I saw them all the time over there. I love them. It's so cool to look up and see a flock of wild parrots flying by, squawking away. On the way out, Elli and I posed by the sign for the Historic District.
See my right hand? Someone left a half smoked joint on the bricks right there. That's California for you. So what was my treasure of the day? Behold:
An Xavier Cugat LP album from the 60s. It was $4.44. I got if for the cover illustration of 2 Chihuahuas dancing in Cuban dance costumes. Incidentally, there is a fine Cuban restaurant called Felix, in the Orange Circle. Here's a closeup of the awesome drawing.
It now resides on my desk at home, to decorate it. Well, tomorrow, my tree trimmer Santiago will be here at 9 to trim the back yard. Then I will go for a run, and the rest of the day is open for more adventure!!!
Well, the tree trimming went well - Santiago always does a beautiful job, and he is so nice and pleasant. The boys got in a bit of a fight over a bone, but it was after I had finished my run and come home. So we banished Vinni to the garage to collect himself- Kenni pretty much wiped the floor with little Vin. I don't know who the aggressor was- either one is prone to be naughty. So we went to Subway then to the market to get ingredients for ........
DOLE GOLDEN LAYER CAKE. So much yum. Here they are :
You get a frozen Sara Lee All Butter Pound Cake, a tub of Cool Whip, a box of vanilla instant pudding and Dole crushed pineapple in juice. And some almond extract, maraschino cherries, sliced almonds and Dole pineapple in juice, either chunks of slices. Slices are prettier, but chunks make it easier to cut. You mix pudding, Cool Whip and crushed pina and let sit for 5 minutes.
While this is sitting, cut the pound cake into three layers.
Mix one cup of juice from the chunks with one teaspoon of almond extract. Thoroughly drizzle each layer with this. Make sure every inch of the cake has some soaking in. Place the bottom layer on the serving tray. Then after 5 minutes, spread the mixture between the layers. Don't skimp - there is PLENTY of pina mixture.
Then stack the three layers, alternating with the goop.
This is the finished product. See all three layers of cake? Stick in freezer for 10 minutes. Then it will have firmed up enough to decorate the top. Sprinkle with sliced toasted almonds, maraschino cherries (well drained) and pina and put them together.
It's sooo pretty and sooo delicious!!! Very rich, however. After I have assembled it, I froze it overnight, then transferred it into the refrigerator in the morning. The drive to my brother's is 45 minutes, then it sat out while we ate. So after about 3 hours, it was thawed enough to slice. My brother Bob, his girlfriend Karin, and my nephew Matt had us over for Christmas dinner. My brother made delicious pot roast with potatoes and veggies, salad, and biscuits. I brought the cake and a bottle of eggnog that was specially made with a secret recipe. It is also absolutely delicious and rich. I am the queen of sin when I make dishes for special occasions.
So back to work after 4.5 days off. I had a lot of fun and got a lot of stuff done around the house. I like a nice balance of pleasure and productivity. Here is what I wore to celebrate a very fun season, and yet not feeling as though I wasted a ton of time.
The first unveiling of the St John suit !!!. I feel as though the jacket with the matching skirt may be a bit too much, but I think it will work just fine for Easter Sunday or Mothers Day. So I chose to pair it with a black turtleneck and black pants.
A necklace would not have worked with this outfit. So what jewelry did I wear?
On my right, three diamond and gold bracelets, and a crystal ring from Saks. On my left, my wedding set and a crystal bracelet from Saks. Nice and sparkly!!!
As far as my shoes go, I wanted to wear black sandals with gold, but it was 42 degrees out this morning, so I went with my Steve Madden booties.
So today, I am linking up with Patti at www.notdeadyetstyle.com for Visible Monday. She has the cutest skirt on!! Two days of work, then back to the fun!!!
