may your day be merry and bright

christmas is here.

after all the madness....

from a (one!) quiet night watching the eclipse with my sweetheart. the clouds magically parted just at the peak of fullness, and after hours of thinking i was going to miss it due to weather...i did a wee jig in the driveway. we were out there until 2 just soaking in that strange radiance.

to making wassail with mama at the solstice party...

which turned into more like a crazy-dance-party...

to a trip to the mall (!?) with my fun and cheery sister. in which i proceeded to buy myself (well, my household ;) a pound of Sees candies.

days at the bookstore wearing dresses that make me feel festive.

this one came from becky at our booth-day.

to addie's fancy cocktail party last night.

with tiny festive drinks made with cranberries and peppermints, creme de menthe, cocoa, milk.

apricot liqueur and grapefruit and violet and all manner of wondrous concoctions.

and lots of cat love.

and caroling down the midnight streets.

ruebi, an old and wonderful friend who is a new mama that lives in the city, told ryann and i "i hope you know how romantic your life is. you have all your girlfriends around you and your community and you are all here for each other doing fun things together." i loved it, it made me stop because yes, it is something i do know, but sometimes i forget. and my town seems small, house seems shabby, errands seem mundane.

and then in a glorious moment i know again that making a commitment to your small town and community is a pretty beautiful thing. and that all that matters is the love you give and wrap yourself up in so cozily.

and then today, off to see darin's family that lives in the bay area and play with this little spunkster all day.

darin's brother sinjin, skateboarder extraordinaire.

and at last, after all the rushing...quiet time. a fire in the stove, my favorite holiday movie in the vcr, sees candies in my belly, cats tumbling and playing all over the wrapped gifts, and a whole lot of love.

i actually cried this morning because christmas has gone too fast. i have to figure out a way to slow down time, to make every moment stretch, to find calm and stillness within myself even in the busy days. (enya helped a little from time to time this season)

i can't complain about too much fun, it's just that i love it all too much, and it flies.

but i do have peace in my heart tonight, and i will remember this feeling.

merriest christmas to all of you out there in our lovely world.

i hope it is a most magical day.