I've posted a couple of photos from our Christmas celebration yesterday for your enjoyment.  It really was a delicious meal (Cindy and Mom outdid themselves).  Cindy, Dan and I also enjoyed a glass of an exceptional wine (which I had been granted dispensation for by my physician's assistant last week)...a bottle of 1993 Harland Estates Cabernet.  Yum!

I was also gratified to get, completely by chance, a carabiner with a compass on it as my "Christmas Cracker" gift.  It affirmed my (still) goal to make it to Machu Picchu on my 50th birthday in a very special way.

Today was rather a disorienting return to matters both more mundane and, at the same time, of seemingly more weight as Dan and I met with my oncologist.

He's pleased with my progress on healing, so much so that we begin chemo next Wednesday.  I'll skip the gory details here on the blog but wanted to note that at least we are starting down that part of the journey.  It was a bit anxiety inducing to go to the office but the staff and Dr. Cheng are all so warm and nice that I soon felt better. 

The Xanax helped too.

We brought lunch home and then were joined by Mom's friend Liliane (who brought a kugel and some books) for a visit.  After a walk around the neighborhood, I was so wiped out I actually took a nap.  A nap!  Me!?

Well, yes.  So it's looking like another evening of DVD watching, a reprise of Christmas dinner (yummy leftovers) and continuing to enjoy time with family.  Hope all is proceeding well at your homes!  As Liliane noted, this is one of the years where Hannukah and Christmas coiincide...so I am pleased to wish each and all of you, once again, Happy Holidays!

Christmas Day is almost upon us and I am indeed beginning to feel a bit festive (and that's not just the percocet talking)!  A promised storm is rumbling in from the North, so we should have a cozy day today followed by a very simple Christmas...stockings, lit tree and a holiday meal (prepared by Cindy and Mom).

Sadly, there will be a shocking lack of Trader Joe's pecan rolls to warm our Christmas morning.  I sent Cindy and Ken in search of the frozen delectables yesterday and they were all sold out.  Same for the TJ's near Dan's work.  So I'm going to go out later (with someone else driving) and see what we can find by way of a meager substitute.

I am so grateful this Christmas for the love of our Creator.  For the love of an incredibly thoughtful husband.  For the practical caring and prayers of family, friends and strangers.  For the world I am fortunate to inhabit, mere miles away from folks who will not be so fortunate as we when the storm blows in.  We have a roof and a warm hearth.  They, I'm afraid, have a cardboard shack in the Tijuana dump.  Special blessings to Pastor Von and those from Spectrum Ministries (part of the church of my youth) who carry Christmas through the mud to the shining face of a joyful child.

I'm a day and a half away from, as my sister-in-law Candy puts it, voluntarily walking into a hospital and asking them to cut me open and remove parts of me.  Crazy world, eh?  But I am so grateful to have access to health care, the support of friends, family and that man o' mine...and for this rich, rich life.

In practical terms, prepping for the surgery means the following:

1.  I am on a clear liquid diet today followed by fasting after midnight tonight.  (Grumble, gumble).  And yet, I'm in no immediate danger of starvation so I suppose it's a minor inconvenience.

2.  I will be spending some quality time in the bathroom later today.

3.  In the meantime, I'll be working diligently to bring order out of chaos in my office.  Wish me luck!

4.  I am listening to a (rather extensive) collection of Christmas music and becoming quite festive as a result.  In hopes of passing along some holiday cheer, here are two items for you--

    a)  A photo of Charlie, my friend Hal's dog (who now calls me "Auntie Laura") and a rather grumpy St. Nick.  St. Nick must be on a clear liquid diet too.

    b)  A cute YouTube ditty forwarded to me by Dad.  Enjoy!

After running a few errands this morning, and actually reading the LA Times online (felt good to get back into that habit, I'll tell you), I spent most of the day decorating the house for Christmas.

(Before I write about "real life"...let me just say that I disagree with President Elect Obama about bailing out the Detroit Three.  I find myself in the curious position of agreeing with Republican Congressman Spencer Bachus of Alabama who prefers a structured bankruptcy proceeding to a bailout since it "would exert greater pressure on the companies to make changes."  Read the LA Times article here.)

But back to decorating for Christmas.  When we moved to Orange County from Santa Clarita, I had about 16 boxes of Christmas decorations that came south with me.  That first December, my friend Erik Kieser was visiting and we had quite a party throwing out dated decorations and generally paring down (and toning down) my collection.  Although I held onto the cranberry Christmas tree candles he hated. 

Today, I got Dan to haul down the 10 or so boxes I have left and unpacked about half of them.  Among some of my favorites in today's haul:

--The cross-stitched Advent Calendar Dan's dad, Dick, made years ago.

--The cross-stitched "Peace" picture that I "won" at one of many Baldridge gift exchanges...handmade by Sally (aka MOSM).

--A gorgeous snowglobe angel given to us years ago by our friend, Betty.

--An Alaskan Santa purchased with Shari Riter on our cruise to Alaska.

--A British Santa purchased on my first trip to London with Mom.

--The snowmen and Santa candles that Dan bought for us this year.

--The antique glass ornaments that decorated our tree during my childhood on Lehrer Drive in Clairemont.

--A Mexican nativity set that was one of the first gifts Dan's brother Steven gave us.

I've mostly enjoyed decorating the house for Christmas in the past.  When we were younger, I'd imagine doing so with the children I assumed we'd have.  After about fifteen years, decorating became a chore rather than a joy.  I realized I'd been decorating the house for those never-materialized kids and after some major re-thinking about what the trappings of Christmas meant to me (and to Dan), I came to enjoy the process again. 

Today, it was all about memories.  The ones stirred up by the sight of familiar items as I lifted them from their tissue paper.  And the ones that were created today with calls from family, messages from loved ones, a nap after lunch, and carols on the Ipod as I unpacked Christmas 2008.

Yesterday was the Baldridge Family Christmas Party (and gift exchange).  Dan and I drove down at mid-day and hung out with Dad and Sally until it was time to go over to the recreation hall.

The gathering really is one of my all time favorite events every year.  This year was no exception.  There was teasing galore (aka the ghosts of Christmas parties past), camraderie, excellent food (prime rib and barbeque fixin's supplied potluck style), and just the warmth of family time.

All of the Baldridge "Boys" were there along with Candy, Donna and Jeanne filling out the "wife" contingent.  Sister Pamela was there as was Cousin Martha and her son, Matt, along with our "adopted" family members, Debra and Alan.  Almost all of the "kids" were there, too.  Deanna and Tim, Amy, Brian and June, Heather, Jason.  We missed Jay (who is out to sea right now), Matthew and Erin (Matt was sick) and Sarah and her Jason (school obligations interfered), Darrell Jr. (also on duty) and Vic--never did figure out why Vic wasn't there.  So all in all, we had about 26 people there including Dad, Sally and the "boys" mom (also one of my mothers!) Pat.

The stars of the party, of course, were all the "grands" (or great-grands depending on your perspective).  David and Avery got along famously, sharing toys and helping the adults to rip open gifts during the gift exchange.  Little Ainsley was adorable in red velvet and patent leather shoes.  It's hard to believe that the kids are now having kids and the "boys" are becoming grandparents!

Good thing Dan and I are staying so young, eh?

The gift exchange is one of those "game" exchanges where all gifts are under $25 and we draw from a pile, stealing presents from one another and getting lots of laughter out of the stealing.  This year's byword?  Fast, fast, fast!  No lollygagging about opening presents in this group!

It's been good to be back home, busily preparing Christmas presents for our trip back east and for our late Christmas with Mom, Charlie and Anya.  I've even managed to be fairly disciplined, getting in 1600 words today and over 1200 yesterday.  So the book continues to grow.