Merry Christmas!

As the sun starts to set on Christmas Eve, accompanied here by rain, snow flakes, and sleet, Santa may need to use his GPS to get around. I heard that NORAD is tracing Santa's journey. Volunteers at an Air Force base are monitoring maps showing Santa Claus' progress and have answered more than 24,000 phone calls from children wanting to know everything from old Saint Nick's age, to how reindeer fly (I'd like to know that answer), to when they can expect their presents.

According to USA Today, phones have been ringing nonstop at Peterson Air Force Base, headquarters of the North American Aerospace Command's annual Santa-tracking operation. Dozens of helpers at NORAD are taking calls and tracking Santa's location on large projection screens. They're posting updates for nearly 1.2 million Facebook fans and 104,000 Twitter followers. The stories are really touching.
One little boy from Missouri called 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723) to ask when Santa delivered toys to heaven, said volunteer Jennifer Eckels.The boy’s mother got on the phone to explain that the boy’s sister had died this year. “I think Santa headed there first,” Eckels told him. I hope he had plenty of toys for the sweet victims of the Newtown, who just arrived.

Charlie hasn't been feeling well, so I've been running back and forth to his doctor's - first with a stool sample, then to pick up medications. I don't know how an indoor cat gets a bacterial infection, but he managed. Poor little guy is miserable, spending a fair amount of time sleeping on the carpet outside his bathroom. He wants to be close to his box. I feel almost as bad as he does. You know how it affects you when your furry kid is sick, and you can't explain why - or fix it right away.

Otherwise, I must go wrap (or bag) presents. UPS just arrived with a last-minute Land's End order with several gifts for Mom. Plus he brought a little gift for me: an ultra-deluxe sample of Guerlain's new Orchidée Impériale The Cream. Rhonda at Guerlain's boutique in Las Vegas send it, promising that it would not be heavily fragranced. She's right. I can't wait to try it.

Tonight, I'm going over to a friend's party (the snow is not accumulating), and tomorrow I'll be at my Mom's house. I was given potato duty, so I took several recipes over and asked her to choose. She went for the simple au gratin recipe, so that's what I'll be cooking to accompany the prime rib. I hope someone is preparing the French green bean casserole (yes the one with the crispy French's onions - I love it).

Christmas can be a bit melancholy. A group of local residents paid tribute to the Newtown victims at the Washington Monument today, singing carols in their memory. If you'd like to go to YouTube to hear one of my all time favorite Christmas carols sung by Barbara Padilla, check out this link. It's incredibly hard to sing - hard to believe I used to be able sing it (when I had a child's voice). I'll never forget that this song brought tears to my father's eyes. Remembering that brings tears to mine, along with so many memories.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration. Merry Christmas! I'll be back in a day to show you some beautiful new makeup.

Update Christmas Morning: Charlie is feeling a bit better - after only one pill, which amazes me. He also has probiotics for his food, but he is NOT keen on them. They must have a taste or smell to him. Because he feels better, so do I. I think I had a lot of anxiety yesterday because my baby was so sick.

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Happy Christmas Eve!

When I was a child, we decorated our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. This morning, I thought about all the "traditions" associated with our tree. Inevitably, a cat would climb the tree. That's why my father always wired it to the wall. That tree was not going to topple just because a well-fed cat had the urge to climb!

We had one cat, George, who liked to sleep in the manger. I always arranged the nativity scene below the tree "just so." It lasted a few hours - maybe - until George arrived to place his little head in the barn, figurines scattered everywhere. "Take that wise men and camels! Cats have first dibs!"

Do animals play a part in your Christmas traditions and memories?

I will be "back" later today, after I deliver Christmas presents to my friends.

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