Yesterday, I had a wonderful day of surprising Christmas shopping. We had agreed, earlier, that we would each pick out something we really wanted for Christmas, and then maybe wrap it and place it under our tree. Well, it didn't work out exactly that way, for several reasons -- but still, it was a great day of holiday shopping for me (and I hope for Cia, as well). I loved buying (for TOO much money) my first bluetooth headphones, and then I enjoyed shopping with Cia for holiday food for the Warm Center. She bought a big bake-load of items, and then we drove to the Center and dropped them off. This was the gift she bought for herself -- a sizable donation to help needy people have a fine Christmas meal. She is the spirit of Christmas itself!

Today, we went for walk on Napatree Beach. Well, I should say I went for a stroll, while Cia went for a serious walk. We agreed to walk at our own pace, and her pace was as speedy as I've seen it. Before long, she was far ahead of me on the sunny winter beach, but still, I kept my good pace (yes, breathing a little heavily) and enjoyed the walk very much. The scene was spectacular, as it always is at Napatree -- today, a fairly silent ocean with little ripples rolling in now and then and wispy white clouds in ashining sunny sky. How lucky we are!