Dear Reader:

When lunch was finished at Doodle’s house yesterday…an (almost planned-sounding) sigh escaped everyone’s lips. Gluttony, for one day of the year, feels so good, doesn’t it! (We just finished the main meal…all those delectable goodies on the table in the title picture were yet to be consumed.)

Doodle had “Three Trees” of goodies she created. I told her in her parallel life…she must have been in construction. Here I have been reading Louise Penny mysteries …all set in “Three Pines” and Doodle had three luscious trees of candies…marshmellow, candy mints, and gum drops!

I think  a sigh of contentment passes through everyone’s lips at the end of the day Christmas. We did it…all the presents, food, meals, desserts and crowds are over for another year. It is wonderful while it lasts, but secretly we all admit we couldn’t take too much of Christmas festivities…for too long.

Everything is in a “maxed out” state …amplified to a higher level…kinda like staying on the carousel too long and the magic disappears. There is a reason for the short rides…so you will want to return again and again.

Speaking of short rides…Mollie and Walsh made a short ride to East Cooper Hospital yesterday. Mollie started feeling badly around mid-morning and decided it would be a good idea just to get checked out. It ended up she was kept for about four or five hours…but Eloise wasn’t ready to come yet. This was obviously disappointing but I reminded them that all these minor frustrations will disappear from memory in the years to come and only the joy of Eloise’s birth will remain.

While away…Uncle Tommy and Aunt Kaitlyn took care of the boys and then took care of some more canine boys. Great job!

Christmas Eve and Christmas brunch…

Everything was so delicious at John and Mandy’s family gathering…Thanks again for the Christmas brunch dear family. There have been two sighs of contentment today…at John and Mandy’s house and Doodle’s…a “two sigher” day…we know it is Christmas.

So until tomorrow…Please keep Mollie in your thoughts and prayers (with a hope) that Eloise is getting closer to arriving.

I hope that there were lots of sighs of contentment at your house yesterday…family, friends, and food. A day to just enjoy…a time to reflect, and re-group for the upcoming new year.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh