Solstice

the sculpture from my friend. Now I have colored fairy lights all over it

Over the past few months, I've been slowing accumulating gifts for the kids and grandkids. Wrapping everything was a chore. I am not a good wrapper. Still have my friend's stuff to wrap. I will hold these presents hostage until the  kids will sit still enough for a good photo

from the web: Hanukah zebra The kids will get some Hanukah gelt in their gift bags

Maya went ice skating on her last day of school with her class

We are over the hump. Now the days are going to get longer though it will take a while. You wouldn't know that it is winter as it is 55, yes 55 degrees and sunny right now though I took off early for a run and was stopped by a thin glaze of ice on the pavement. I also have been able to bike for the past few days. My brakes are inoperable under freezing but just fine as long as it is in the forties.

I've been keeping myself amused. I play around with the language app much too much, currently learning French which I sort of knew already due to repeat exposure between all my travels and having a French speaking step grandmother that stopped speaking English as she got older. I also learned it early on so it seems to be stored in a different part of my memory. The main problem I have with French is its many silent syllables. It does have a much easier grammar than German and Dutch. Even though Italian has slightly more rules than French, it is much easier to understand as each syllable is pronounced. There is a an Italian speaking group in Ann Arbor that I will attend once I review my Italian. I've been invited to a German speaking group but alas it is in San Francisco.

Steve and I finally finished watching The Crown. The 'new' Elizabeth is much less sympathetic but maybe more realistic. They have another forty years to go.

I have ben seeing friends and probably eating and mostly drinking too much. It's been fun but I start being good once and for all in January.

Happy Holidays to my friends in Blogsphere