Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Celebrating...I Guess.

 Is Christmas weird for you this year?

I know I'm not the only one struggling with Covid-19 restrictions ...and others have had it worse. Many others. I know that. But when the prospect of celebrating Dec. 25 alone looms, away from Daughters #1 and #2, as well as Son #1 and Daughter #1's partner, it is bleak.

Being away from them at Thanksgiving was hard. Because we're actually back in Colorado, this is worse. There is a faint possibility we may be able to meet, socially distanced and properly masked. But the odds are stronger that we can't. 

Celebrating Christmas with the Brick won't be horrible -- I love him, and love spending time with him. Commemorating the birth of our King is important. The music and movies have been fun. But we have not been able to see our children much, if at all, this year. 

Barring a surprise, Christmas will be the same.

One scary car crash from Winter Storm Gail -- there were plenty. 

Ten facts you probably didn't know about the movie White Christmas. If you enjoyed that, there's ten more about National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, plus ten about It's A Wonderful Life. 

Are politicians following the restrictions they demand of us? And if they don't, how do YOU feel about it?

Three-ingredient sugar cookies: incredibly, these are really three basic ingredients! And they're slice and bake, making the dough easy to keep in the freezer. Thanks, Betty Crocker.

Is Jill Biden really Dr. Biden? Yes, she has a doctorate in education. And she really earned it. Yes, she should be able to say 'Dr. Biden,' and not get pestered about it -- plenty of professors do this all the time. (Not to mention that a Ph.D. is another 4-6 years or so work, on top of a Master's. An honorary degree...now that's another story, to my mind.)

Meals -- mostly Mexican -- to cook in an RV.  (From Heath and Alyssa)

Extreme frugality -- holiday-style.  (From Surviving and Thriving)

A strange 'winter wonderland' after a blizzard visits an abandoned mall.

Pete Buttigieg is the first openly gay Cabinet member...right? (Sorry, Mr. Grenell, appointed by Trump and conveniently passed over by Biden's publicity team...)

The 96-year-old WWII veteran, reunited with the three Italian children he nearly shot. (Whew.)

Paper stars -- from paper bags!  (Thanks, Chicken Blog)

Denver's beloved Tattered Cover bookstore has new owners. And despite its new claim that it's the largest black-owned bookstore in the U.S., only one of the 13-member investment group is actually Black. 

Ten international candies you can order on Amazon. 

60 vintage Christmas dishes to try. Just don't make the jello ones! (That was my childhood 'yecchh.')

Victoria Findlay Wolfe shows you how to make a coat from a finished quilt. (The lecture costs $30, but you get how-tos, plus access to a recorded version.)

Gingerbread scones. Yum. (From Can't Beet Plants)

Charleston, SC's Black American seamstresses.  (From Civil War Quilts)

Last-minute exhausted Christmas quilters!  Lots of stories from Quilting Daily.

Last-minute orders, baking and such. Been there, doing that.  (From My Threadbear Life)

Twenty best Christmas dinner ideas.  (From Poor Girl Eats Well)

Ten times artificial intelligence did something weird, and shocked us.  (From Listverse) Also:

Some still-unsolved modern mysteries...including a real gargoyle!  

Can you live in an airbnb for less than renting somewhere? This person says yes -- emphatically.

Have a wonderful, relaxing week. And if you can spend some time with the ones you love -- don't hesitate. Do it.