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<\/a>Notice our official Charlie Brown tree in the center of the gifts. <\/p><\/div>\n
But wait– I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. First, I\u2019m happy to report that my little mo\u2019s first Christmas (she never celebrated one before) was very successful, although, like a little kid, she asked to open the presents ever day for the whole week that they were wrapped. And, as an avid doll and stuffed animal collector, especially ones who sing and move, she wanted them all to be dolls! That was part of my plan to begin with, but when we found an attached Raggedy Ann and Andy, who sing I Got You Babe, we knew that others would pale in comparison, so we didn\u2019t get her the rest. (She\u2019s insanely in love with the adorable dog who flattens out to become a pillow, though. I must admit that I snuck a hug or two from him myself.)<\/p>\n
On each of my usual month-long trips to New York, I spend at least four days in Manhattan, and time away, too. (I.e. either a week-end in the Hamptons or a whole week in Rhode Island.) This time, though, out of the twenty-three we were there, I spent four days at the mall and seven days in the house! And I had pizza five times during my stay and Nathan\u2019s hot dogs four. Healthy trip, eh? But it really was cozy, fun, and delicious.<\/p>\n
So, on the night of December 20, (well, really the early morning of December 21,) there was an unusual lunar eclipse. For the first time since 1658, (the date I heard reported, though a few different years were bandied about later,) this was happening at the same time as the winter solstice. Mr. X, who was bothered by the way-below-freezing temperatures, went to bed at 1AM and suggested I do the same, since the wind chill factor was in the low single digits. I got into bed at 1:05, but just knew I\u2019d be tossing and turning, wishing I were witnessing this historic event, that could be viewed on my own back porch!<\/p>\n
<\/a>Me, lying in the snow. I told you I looked like Ralphie's brother!<\/p><\/div>\n
So, I got up, but on my thermals, another five or six layers of clothing, fuzzy boots, and my winter jacket, (I looked like Ralphie\u2019s little brother in A Christmas Story,) and unlocked the back door for probably the first time in three years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
While it was beautiful out, to me, I jumped about ten feet in the air every time the wind made something creak. (In addition to the news of the impending eclipse, all night there were warnings that the \u201cFlatbush rapist\u201d was loose in the general neighborhood. That terrified me, though I should have realized that my thousand layers may have been a natural deterrent if he were hiding in my backyard.)<\/p>\n