Time for Mistletoe and Holly

I spent most of the morning putting up my Christmas garlands. Mom gave me these ropes of artificial greenery trimmed with ribbons, beads, bows, and small trinkets several years ago. She'd gotten fed up with putting them up all over their house. I can see her point. I do still use tacks on the heavy garland around the two windows in the dining area and the one wrapped with gold ribbon on the window behind the tree, but most of the others are now twist-tied to unused curtain rods. I also have a white and gold tinsel garland that is wrapped around the top of the baker's rack and a long, plush gold tinsel garland that goes around the DVD racks.

Putting up the garlands didn't take as long as I thought it would. I had the time to call Stockton and get some more information on classes. I think I should have said I was looking for Distance Learning (online classes), not Continuing Education (certificate courses). They called back later and said they had none of the courses I was looking for...even though their website clearly says that they do! I'll call them again later in the week and clarify what I meant.

Work was very quiet for a lot of the day. It was much chillier, windy, and on-and-off sunny. With kids back in school and people back in work, most folks had probably returned to their normal schedules this week. Even some regular beginning-of-the-month people may have done their shopping last weekend. I did have some annoying customers, but nothing horrible. It was so quiet at 6PM, I was able to get off and buy things for a Pumpkin Mousse Cream Pie with no relief. (My relief was the new cashier...who apparently was suspended.)

When I got home, I ran Santa Claus Is Coming to Town while making the pie and having leftovers for dinner. One of Rankin-Bass' most famous specials is their interpretation of how the Santa Claus legend got started. Mickey Rooney makes a fine Santa; Keenan Wynn is fun as the Winter Warlock. ("Winter, if you please.")