Well, made it through Christmas.

Actually, had quite a nice Christmas, despite coming down with a cold that day.

Once again, we were down in Los Angeles, visiting my sister’s family.  Nothing like kids to make your Christmas special – and EARLY.  The youngest (now 14) can only contain himself until 6 A.M., at which time, Christmas MUST happen.

It is worth the early rising (that and the coffee and donuts waiting at my sister’s).

My sister, who is an amazing cook, made a great Christmas Day dinner with all of the fixings.

And the day after Christmas, we headed back home.

I love my sister.  I love my nephews.  I love my brother-in-law.  And I love spending time with them.

But oh the joys of coming home to my own tiny messy home.

Leo (our tabby) was FURIOUS with us and hollered and hollered and hollered.  Not easy to do, since he was also purring like crazy as we smothered him with pets and cuddles, which he accepted as only his due and as our penance for leaving him (even though we have a wonderful petsitter who, like everyone else who has ever met him, just adores Leo).

Oliver (our scaredy-cat gray fluff) came out from hiding pretty quickly, and it got to the point where I was actually tired of holding and petting him.  He’d jump up (yes, actually jump up onto my lap), get pets while he kneaded my right arm (for some reason the left simply will not do), jump down; and then immediately, jump back up and repeat, and repeat, and repeat.  He even came back after I clipped his nails (in an effort to save some of my poor right arm).

And climbing into our own bed with the fleece sheets – Ahhhhhh.  With Leo under the covers between us, and Ollie on top of me demanding more pets.

It’s good to be home.