Santa is coming to town...

 well that is what they say anyway.  another Christmas arrives.  just a different game in the single world.  today walked with friends and then chilled. watched "love actually" and "the Christmas story"...annual classics.

 we saw this cute baby malamute at the trail head.  he will be getting big fast. the owner had lost a young one fairly recently to a freak choking accident. that sort of thing can happen...so quickly.  very sad, he has a new friend and they did seem to be getting along nicely. 

 we all enjoyed our visit.

 CM brought her new buddy as well so we got to meet this little guy too.

 my dogs are sacked out for the evening.  i will wrap a few gifts for them and turn in....just fun to watch them unwrap gifts. 

 Christmas is a tricky bit.  it's funny how some years i take it all in stride and other years i am more sad and negatively impacted. this year it's been taken in stride. some of life is adapting to the realities we live with.  releasing expectations.

 i think this year i released some of those expectations, especially what i used to expect from family and finally just realized just weren't realistic expectations.  expectations will get you every time really.  best to not have them and then to just be pleasantly surprised when things go nicely.

 had a moment of hurt and anger at a situation, but i have let that go. gifts are also sticky at times.  you won't like every gift you receive and others won't like every gift you give.  what you do with that situation says a lot about you.

 i had some turkey breast in the freezer so i made a turkey noodle soup.  i made home made egg noodles and i figured out how to use my pasta bit to make it on my fancy machine.  :-)  just fun anyway.  i then baked some peanut butter kisses...always a favorite.  I'm getting low on fresh eggs so i will have a few for tomorrow breakfast  and that is it.

 plans for tomorrow are a walk with friends and then a chill meal with friends.

 the frost is now covered by a good layer of snow.  as we turned to head back on today's walk the snow began to fall.  it fell through the evening and we have I'd guess 4-6 inches. so the place will look all beautiful Christmas morning.

 the ice was fun while it lasted...we all love snow though so the snow is very welcome.

 not sure the snow is as good for my photography games, but still fun.  less risk to fall and break stuff.

 the puppy is much bigger than the adult chihuahua...so cute!

 he is hiding from the maniac pups!!

 beautiful sunset yesterday.

 always do enjoy Potters in the winter. 

 it was funny how different the trail looked coming back since the snow was falling

 there were quite a few out on Potters yesterday. 

 chatted with my sister.  she got to enjoy lots of family time.  several family members are down at a gathering in CA as well.

 I'm mostly just getting more and more detached.  part of the whole letting it all go...realizing what is possible and what isn't possible. 

 life overall has turned out pretty sweet for me.  things don't always turn out the way you expected them to, but who is to say that is better or worse.  it's just how it is....you make the most of the life you are given and you find the happiness and peace that you can.  it's there...

 so be willing to adapt to changes, fight back expectations and take time to stop and see the beauty that this earth gives us all. 

 the true meaning of Christmas...well, it's not really the actual time of Christs birth is it now.  i think celebrating the message Jesus brought to the earth and shared is a good thing to focus on. peace on earth, goodwill to all.  kindness, being grateful, being selfless. 

 we all have enough really.  we have been given what we need.  it's up to us to accept the limits of what we have and then to give what we don't need back. 

 it's a pretty greedy world.  the holiday, like most, has become way too commercial.  it's become more about the gifts.  i always found the post Christmas sharing of what people got for Christmas a bit garish. 

 it does seem like so much in this life is a competition...even what people get for Christmas. 

 i won't be asking what you got for Christmas. 

 i will probably just let this Christmas pass quietly by and try not to let loneliness come to me.  it is a time of year where it can be easy to wallow in the loneliness if you allow it.

 in truth I'm not sure i could cope with a relationship at this point in life.  i have been on my own a long time. you do learn to enjoy the freedom of life.  dogs are great companions for me.  i am always grateful for the animals in my life...i suspect being on my own would have been much more of a trial if i hadn't had the pets. 

 they have all the qualities one could want in a friend.  loyalty, kindness, protective, always happy to be with you.  they are entertaining and are great motivators for getting one outside.

 the frosted walrus on the little free library are now coated in snow

thankful for:  A kindness and generosity of friends and family at this time of year. those who include me and especially those who accept me despite my many faults. B. the season of Christmas. i do enjoy the music, the spirit, the lights, the bakes...all of it.  C. the fresh snow...so beautiful to watch it falling to earth.