Christmas Ornaments -1940's and 1950's

I collect old, scratched and dented, ornaments. They rarely are on the tree. I like to buy large glass jars or vases and fill these glass vessels with the ornaments. If things are looking a little too pale and shabby, then I sprinkle in a few modern, bright ornaments. I always hope to find some old ornaments with glitter and sparkles. The kind I selected every Christmas when I was a child. We each got to pick out one ornament for the tree the night we went to see Santa. We were told they were ours (and I believed this) and when we were grown up, we could have them. My mom later gave them all to my alcoholic brother (her favorite) and he left them at one of the apartments he got evicted from or he sold them to buy a bottle of gin. So, I go out looking for my childhood treasures at flea markets.

My friend K says they still sell tinsel in Georgia. I'm not all that nostalgic over tinsel. I remember our first cat eating it and later having "tinsel butt" if you "grasp" my meaning. I don't like bubble lights on the tree but G does, so he has a bubble night light in his bathroom. My daughter fondly remembers a year when I decorated our tree with fake candy. So her tree has lots of fake candy ornaments. Christmas seems to be all about memories of Christmases Past.

Today was very cold outside but amazingly warm in the greenhouse. Not warm enough to take off the fleece but nice. I wore the $5 walking socks I got at the discount place. Not the socks I wanted but wool socks in greenhouse mossy green. And when my feet got wet while watering, I didn't feel it. Wool is great that way. Everything I had on was green, from the Crocs clogs to my fleece. K gave me a nice Santa Hat to wear. I felt very festive. Everyone who tried it, liked the cheesy bread I brought to work. They want the recipe. The Chocolate Babka from Zabar's was decadent. Oh, my!!!

I, pointedly, asked when my last day was at work. So, it's Monday the 21st. And perhaps, Saturday, the 26th. I won't know until tomorrow. I'm not working the 26th. No matter what. Sam wants to stop walking the dog after tomorrow. It's too cold. I will be out there walking the dog every day this winter. For an hour or more. Now, I have to decide if I want to play the "unemployment" game. Which means filing and then going out and applying for jobs I don't want. One or two a week. For eleven weeks. Tedious.

I opened my Neo Colors last night while watching West Wing. Very nice. I tried them out on the black gesso pom, but I already had too much going on and the neo colors didn't show up. So tonight I'm going to black gesso another page and play around with the crayons tomorrow.

I'm making Mexican Casserole tonight. And steaming some Mexican Rice. I know it's awfully close to Christmas Day Burritos but we like Mexican food. It'll be okay. I want to take the leftovers to work tomorrow for lunch. I had a salad today with the cheesy bread.

G's supervisor purchased a Donald Duck (G's favorite Disney character) mug for G's Christmas gift. It's Donald's legs and butt with one arm for the cup handle. Mighty cute. G is very happy.
G used to be able to do Donald's voice for our kids when they were little. They loved it. Just like in the cartoons. Their eyes would get all big and their mouths would form an 0.

Enough nostalgia. Time to cook.