WANT FRIES WITH THAT ??

For most of the past 20-plus years, I have gone to Florida for Christmas (Xmas). This year, my Mother came to Arkansas to "experience" Xmas in more Northern latitudes.

Xmas in Arkansas this year means no palm trees, nor live oak dripping with Spanish Moss. Certainly no tan lines being formed. Still, the colder weather here in Arkansas -- due to the cold temperatures dipping further South -- was mirroring the weather Florida was experiencing at the same time.

My Mother, to her credit, brought plenty of warm clothes; a few of the items she bought specifically for this trip. That's not to say she spent a whole lot of time outside during her visit. He blood has "thinned" too much from all the years of living in Florida. Cold temperatures are not her thing.

I have never been one for decorating my house at Xmas ... either inside or out. That also means I never had decorations -- & lights -- still to take down -- or turn off -- come, say, oh ... February. [It happens -- too often -- around here. Remember, this is ARKANSAS.]

My "Xmas tree" this year was a woven, wall-hanging tapestry I bought many years ago in a crafts store in Bogota, Colombia. It has served it's purpose several times for me & this year, provided a place for the presents my Mother & me each had to open.

Of course, with any & all things "new", each of the cats had to take terns inspecting the tree & presents, before granting "approval". Here, Nibblets does the honors.

Precious is developing into a bit of a "poser" when it comes to photographs. Here she gives me the "OK" that everything has been sniffed, touched & approved.

As I have written previously, this years main gift to my Mother was a printed, hard-cover book of the first 15 months of my blog. To say this gift went over BIG on Xmas morning, is an understatement. If she was not knitting or doing word puzzles while here, my Mother was reading the book, with about a third of it already read before her visit was over.

Note to fellow bloggers: This is a great gift idea & so easy to do. Any & all blogs get extra impressive in a book format. [Thanks ... to Wendy Ray for the original idea.]

Of course, one of the things I have to consider when having my Mother visit me, is feeding her. She's pretty much a meat 'n' potatoes person, who cooks for herself. I tend to fix my food as an after thought, & too often settle for fixing rice -- which is one item Hilda will NOT eat -- & veggies. Actually, my Mother isn't one to try different foods. No Chinese, Mexican, etc.

Being of English origin, my Mother does love her Fish 'n' Chips. And thankfully, the fare offered at Captain D's meets with her approval & it is one "fast food" -- other than Wendy's -- that she enjoys & will eat.

This Xmas visit, we went to Captain D's on two occasions. Hilda enjoyed her Fish 'n' Chips, & although it's not a food item I would normally eat, I too enjoy it ... as an occasional menu item.

Sticking to my odd eating habits, I did not get french fries with my fish, but instead, substituted corn on the cob.

French fries -- for me -- are a no-no.