Christmas Eve

I was happy to get another Skype call from Sydney--where it was December 25 already--and to be told what we thought was for Christmas was actually my birthday present.  It's a Kindle, with which I was thrilled.  I'm still going to use the tablet for other Internet purposes, but this is incredibly thin and light, I know I'll carry it with me.  I've already bought a book with it, in fact, and will read on my way home.
Ellen made a lovely loaf of banana bread for Christmas dinner, from the recipe I've been using for years; it made the whole house smell wonderful.  Later, she cut white meat from the chicken she had bought the day before and made us chicken salad, with tomatoes on good coarse bread.  I poured myself a Corona with lime to go with it, and we had a luscious lunch.
Later in the afternoon, we went to the Ventura Harbor, walked about a mile along the edge, then crossed the boulevard to view the open ocean.  The waves were wildly pounding the shore--what a sight, especially with the mountains and Channel Islands far in the distance.
Stopped at the video store for DVDs, had Thai and leftovers for dinner, then settled down to watch one of my all-time favorites, Chinatown.  This cinematic gem only gets better with age: sophisticated story line, superb acting, elegant setting, and an absolutely flawless recreation of nineteen thirties L.A.
Shortly after, Gregg arrived to spend Christmas Eve with us and here we are on Christmas Day. Have a good one, everyone, and if 2014 was good, may 2015 be better.