Eliot made a fire in our fireplace last night.  We pulled our wingback chair in front of it and spent the evening rotating people through that warm and cozy spot.  OK, actually, there wasn’t much rotating.  I was tired from the run out at Bandera and I hogged the chair and ottoman.  I did let Asa squeeze in beside me from time to time.  Mostly he and Eliot hung out on the hearth, though.  As Asa says, “Sharing is hard.”

It’s not actually all that cold here in San Antonio, but our house is like a thermos.  It traps the hot summertime air and we swelter.  And, in winter, it’s like we’re living in a walk in freezer.  (Yes, we’re working on that in-su-la-tion thing.)  And, of course, Asa, like any healthy three year-old refuses to layer up.  “Your mother’s cold, put on a sweater” works about as well for me as it did for my mom.

So we’re hosting a Christmas pot-luck for Eliot’s Outdoor Pursuits employees tomorrow night.  My holiday party preparations will be limited to running out at Bandera all day.  Hey, they’re college students; they should have low bathroom cleanliness standards.  And maybe I’ll have some cool new wounds to show them over Christmas cookies.

And, finally: If you’re reading, and you don’t already have your Christmas present thank you notes addressed, here’s a virtual hug for you.  You Day-After-Thanksgiving-types… No hugs for you!!  (But I feel like we can still be friends.)

A. and I will be out at Bandera tomorrow at 7ish, if anyone is free to come out.  I’ll also be out there Monday if anyone wants to run the 100k course.