*1. tree hunt | 2. local joint 3. in situ | 4. dinner with friends | 5. st. germain on ice | 6. ice wreath | 7. deco time | 8. chili | 9. success*

Well, while all of you were out enjoying your ice storms and snow and just generally making me jealous, we were submitted to a cold rain this weekend, just warm enough to keep from being fun and just cold enough to be really, really miserable. I mentioned that two-day migraine on Instagram, well here's why: 80º on Friday, 49º on Saturday, 39º on Sunday. My poor head couldn't keep up.

Shopping for a tree felt like we were back in California. Warm! Too warm. We could have taken our time and browsed a bit, but Cal found a perfect tree on the first try, so there we were. Got it home and in a bucket and saved the rest of the work for later. Gah. I must be getting old. I used to be able to whip this decorating out no problem. Now it's taking days, and I'm still not done!

An unexpected dinner with friends on Saturday (seriously, who has a free evening in December these days?), lots of house and other work on Sunday, and now it feels like we've barely had a break. Monday again. The tree is sparkling behind me though, and the decorations are almost up and out. There's a Christmassy chill in the air. We're getting there. Man, that chili was good.