Let it Rain

Here in So. Cal, seasonal weather can be hard to come by. Depending on who you ask, we basically have 3 months of spring, 6 months of summer and 3 months of fall. In an exceptional year, we may get 2 weeks of below 50's weather. I love our climate although I do miss waking up in Seattle every now and again, looking out the window from our bed and shaking the wife awake, "Honey! Look! It snowed!"

Even though I love a warm Thanksgiving - picking out the Christmas tree in 80-degree weather can take some of the twinkle out of a person's Christmas Spirit.

Well this weekend it rained - not much - but we will take it! All thoughts of yard work were postponed. Saturday the wife came home from work and said, "I am ready for Christmas! Let's get it started!" So out the door I went.

I withdrew our weekly grocery allowance (we are trying to only use cash so we stay on budget) and headed to the store. It was raining and I was in jeans and a flannel with a ball cap (standard fare from my Seattle days). The cold felt good, the rain felt good. Most days, walking into the grocery store does not register a change in temperature (unless it is summer and they have the AC cranked up). This time, I stepped from the wet parking lot and was greeted with a flow of warmth from the store. Christmas music was playing.

Cozy in my weather-wear (which I will likely not donne again for weeks) and cozy in the warmth of the store, I picked up the handful of items we were in need of and headed back into the rain and home.

The wife bathed the wee on and bundled her in fleece PJ's while I made dinner and got the this year's first batch of Wassail brewing. Wassail is our traditional Christmas treat:

One part Cranberry Juice
Three parts Apple Cider
One clove and one allspice berry for every cup of Apple cider
Slice up a couple of granny smith apples
Add a cinnamon stick for good measure
Put the whole thing on the stove to simmer
Serve with a splash of Brandy if you are so inclined.

As I stood over the stove finishing up dinner preparations I thought, "Me too - I am ready for Christmas - the spirit of it - the joy of it - the simplicity of it (if you can keep a hold of it - good luck)"

We had a fine dinner followed by left-over Thanksgiving pie and steaming mugs of Wassail while watching the first Christmas movie of the year (The Family Stone).

This morning we are all lingering in our PJ's - the soundtrack to Charlie Brown Christmas is playing. Yep, I am ready - bring it on - but bring it quietly, bring it softly, like a soft cooling rain on a drought-parched soul. Come on rain.

Season's Greetings everybody.