It's the most wonderful time of the year!!

It's that time again, as pre-Christmas has arrived at the Engemoen house.

Two weeks from tomorrow it all happens for real. The lights, the tree, and the village. The village is undergoing an upgrade this year, once I can figure out how to do it. Planning, diagramming, storyboarding, oh my this is going to be a lot of work.

Yes, those gifts are all for the wife, and yes, it's only November 9th. I know I have a Xmas shopping addiction.

She's worth it, though. Just don't tell her I said that.

A few days ago we were discussing our upcoming New Year's trip to Vegas. She turned to me and said "you know, Disneyland isn't that far from Las Vegas".

Twist my arm.

So now our 7-day trip to Vegas is going to include a 2.5 day jaunt to the Happiest Place on Earth. New Year's Eve on the Vegas strip, and a few days in Disneyland at Holiday time as well. Boy I have it rough.

Dinner at Sinatra, in the Wynn. New Year's Eve dinner at the Eiffel Tower.  Dinner at the Blue Bayou and Carthay Circle. Oh that's going to be a hard week.

Hard on my weight, maybe, but that's what Xmas is for I guess.

Oh, and it's been almost a year since we brought this little monkey into the family.

After all the trials and tribulations, and after we tried to find her a new home, she has turned into the sweetest cat you could imagine. She still isn't totally sold on being in a multi cat household, but she's coping. And when she gets an opportunity to be in a closed room with me and no other cats around, she is as happy as any cat I've ever seen. So sweet and loving. What a change from the chaos she was creating a few months back. Unreal.

Newman is still hanging on. He's starting to fade a bit and it's clear he probably doesn't have that many months left, but it doesn't seem as if anything is imminent. He's still tolerating his twice-a-week treatments and although he doesn't like them, he's a good boy and lets us give them without too much fuss. Such a special cat. We are going to miss him to death when he goes. We are hoping he will make it through one more Xmas. He has just turned 12; it is so unfair that we are going to lose him at such a young age, but they have been 12 wonderful years. What a character.

Hope you cotton-headed ninnymugginses are all well and are looking forward to Xmas. The most wonderful time of the year.