YES, Virginia

I ask and wish not to appear

More beauteous, rich or gay:

Lord make me wiser every year,

And better every day.

--- Charles Lamb

I put out a few Christmas things at the store yesterday. Items that I had gathered over the past year or two that were tucked away. Nothing too exciting, but a few little things from Christmas past. Tonight we are going to dinner at the Saw Shop in Kelseyville with Paul and Cheryl. It is one of the best restaurants in Lake County, though a bit on the expensive side, but so worth it! We usually go at least once a year and usually around the holidays. They have the best Lemon Drop cocktails, but only when Brad is bartending and, unfortunately, I don't think he is working tonight. :o(

I just heard from my friend Phyllis, who lives in the Bay Area, about our old group of girlfriends getting together on the 20th. Our other friend, Gina, who lives in New York is coming home for Christmas. There are 8 of us that have remained friends since high school and actually before. 4 are sisters, 3 of us including myself our cousins and Gina has known the family since grade school.

It is rare that we are all able to get together at the same time. Husbands will be joining us, but that doesn't stop us from usually singing "Young Blood" from Bad Company at the top of our lungs! I'll have to find my CD!

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Today's excerpt and picture are from my little Hallmark book, Christmas Classics and is perfect for my girlfriend Gina. Her full name is Virginia although we called her either Gina or Gin.

From IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

"... Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.....No, Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

--- Frank Church

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HAVE AN ORIGINAL DAY!