Still Life, With Cats

December 31st is Richard’s birthday, and sometimes we will try to schedule a party or go do a thing, but here is where I freely admit that my very favorite way to usher in a New Year is at home in my pajamas, curled up on the couch with cats and a laptop and some ice cream, and luckily that is exactly what we did. Okay, technically we only made it to 11pm before we both gave up and went to bed, but 11pm in California means it’s midnight (or past) many other places so whee, that counts.

2015 was a pretty good year, overall. A lot happened, but here are some highlights. I did my very first 10K, which came complete with Nutella sandwiches and cake at all the rest stations, so if one is going to do a 10K, that’s really the best way to go on. I attended an amazing knitting retreat in Monterey with a good friend and learned some really awesome things about knitting sweaters (primarily – why it is I have never managed to knit a single sweater that actually fits me). For the third time in my life I submitted a knitted lace piece to a Fair (this year it was the California State Fair) and for the third time it won an award and was on display for everyone to see. My sisters and I took our annual Sisters Only weekend, this year going to San Diego, where, due to sleep deprivation and extreme giddiness, we ended up with a rather odd looking blue balloon cat we dubbed Caesar E. Purshing, who became our mascot for the entire trip. Richard and I went to WorldCon up in Spokane, where the smoke from the massive forest fires made things a little interesting, but where I also got to see Robert Silverberg and George R. R. Martin sit on a stage and talk about whatever they wanted, and it was a wonderful time.

Today is the day I have, for the past few years, posted a cheerful little tale, complete with pictures, for how we’ll be meeting our doom. Two years ago we were overrun with Daleks. Last year we were zapped by a shrink ray and trapped by the cats in a butterfly jar. This year – eh. I just couldn’t come up with anything, although admittedly I was pondering exactly how to work in a Meyer lemon tree taking over the world (our Meyer lemon tree is certainly trying its best). So instead I’ll point you to the end of October, when I posted about spiders. Lots and lots and lots of spiders. Because spiders trump Meyer lemons any day.

‘Tis the season for Holidailies.