This is becoming part of our regular morning routine.  Pk scraping the frost off the windows of the car.  In the old days, I used to start the car and let the defroster clean the windows but I feel bad about the extra emissions so now we scrape.  The temps have dropped to freezing for the weekend and the week to come is not predicted to be much warmer.  It's December so it's to be expected but it was balmy and we were wearing light jackets just a few short weeks ago.  My toes are perpetually cold as soon as I get out of bed in the morning even with handknit socks.  It's a thyroid thing.  Cold hands and feet. 

I managed to twist my left ankle but I don't remember doing it (I am really getting old).  It hurts to put weight on it so I found one of my ankle braces from when I dislocated my other ankle and it's helping.  So is sitting with my foot up.  I think I'll wear my sneakers tomorrow with the brace.  Mondays are not sit-at-my-desk days.  I have to be able to walk around so I think I'll need the support.  I'm fairly sure I didn't do more than twist it but I've heard all the stories about people who break bones in their feet and don't know it.  If it's not better in a few days, I'll get it looked at. 

Pk, El and I went out on Saturday to find our Christmas tree.  For the first time, we all got out of the car and went directly to the same tree.  It was tall enough (for Pk and El) and the preferred kind (Douglas fir) for me.  With the help of the nice, young men at the tree place, we tied it onto the top of our car and headed home.  It is now sitting in all it's undecorated glory waiting for Christmas Eve for the family to gather to decorate it.  It seems to be really fresh and it is making the house smell wonderful. 

Today was grocery shopping.  It wasn't too crowded and we got in and out in a fairly quick fashion.  We also got some new lights to put up out front.  Little snowmen.  They'll line up out front with our color changing stars.  I'm waiting for it to get dark so I can go outside and see them.  I love holiday lights.  Any holiday but especially lights at this time of year.  As the nights get longer and longer, the holiday lights make it easier to bear.  Slowly, we're replacing our older lights with LED lights which are supposed to use less energy and burn brighter. 

I have some dough rising in the bread machine to make focaccia (onion bread) for dinner with some potato soup.  I just have to boil some potatoes and chop onions and garlic for the bread and we have a warm, filling meal.  I use Jeff Smith's (the Frugal Gourmet) recipe.  It's easy and delicious and if you slice the bread in half, it makes wonderful sandwiches.  I got some swiss cheese and some ham and now I've made myself hungry and it's 2 hours until dinner time.

No Christmas shopping was done this weekend.  I didn't want to stress my foot and was not in the mood for it yet.  I like to shop for the holiday and I'll get it done but I'm not ready yet to jump into the melee.  I've been spending my time listening to some good books and working slowly but surely on the alpaca sweater.  I'm noticing a small difference in the way the stitches look since I've divided the front and back.  They seem tighter. I think it's because now I'm purling the in between rows and not knitting them as I was doing when I was knitting in the round.  I hope when it's done and blocked that it won't show.  No one else thinks it's noticeable but I can see it (you know how that goes). 

I also read Stephen King's new book Full Dark No Stars.  It's really good.  Nothing supernatural or alien.  Just people in all their dark and wondrous ways.  It is not a nice, friendly book.  The title says it all.  I enjoyed every page.  He has good insights into people and how they react to situations. 

Have a good week.