It's A Wrap - 2024 Holiday Season

All our holiday & birthday celebrations ended a couple weeks ago, coinciding with Rob's return to ESF.  It has been a super cold winter so far, much ice on the Susquehanna!  I have been counting the weeks until spring will arrive (it's wonderful to know that February starts tomorrow).  Here are some pictures to remember our December & January events. 

Rob's Mediterranean Cruise - Rob, you were lucky to have a week-long cruise with Luke, Aunt Diana and Uncle Lawrence.  When we talked earlier this week, you mentioned the pleasant temperatures (in the low 50's ?) contrasted with brutal cold temps in New York.  You told me your favorite part of the cruise was spending time with family.  Here are 3 pictures....

Island of Crete landscape photo, taken at lunch-time during an excursion to the Minoan Palace of Knossos - on a rainy day.

Base of the Apollon Temple, which was never completed, near Ephesus in Turkey.  It includes a cat that was following your tour group.  It's calico with a white chin, chest and belly (mostly camouflaged) sitting on a rock, mid-frame.

The Port of Athens, upon your cruise ship's arrival - see the rainbow!  Your excursion here was to an archaelogical museum, then a late-afternoon stop to look up at the Parthenon (dedicated to Athena) atop the Acropolis.

Festivus - Rob, you are quite interested in the Festivus "holiday" which is on Dec. 23.  Below is a picture of a card from Steve.  

And to celebrate (even though you forgot to bring them on the cruise), you and Luke received gifts of personalized potholders.  The pictures on yours and Luke's appear below.  Who doesn't need a photo potholder ?!  Last week, Aunt Di texted me that she "may nor may not have 'borrowed' it".

Christmas for the Rest-Of-Us - We had a traditional Christmas, except a delay on Christmas day since Aunt Pam's car battery died.  Alex, it was so nice of you to drive her back and forth from Dallas.  After a turkey dinner with Steve's brothers Rich and Joe, we opened presents.  Alex, your gifts included books about your namesake Alexander the Great plus Homer's poems the Iliad and the Odyssey.  And you gave me a "Tasting History" book by Max Miller whose Tasting History videos you enjoy.  I'm having an interesting time reading about ancient foods; as of yet, I'm not sure whether I'll attempt making any of the correlating modern recipes suggested by Chef Max.

January Birthday Celebration - Early in January we went to Mizu Sushi for a hibachi dinner to celebrate December (Alex) and January (Aunt Pam and me) birthdays.  Then we headed back to Montgomery Ave. for my first homemade rum cake and ice cream.  Glad we had this time together !!  I took pictures per request from Grammie, who wants new photos for the orange tree she decorates at Christmas.  Here they are:

Spring Semester Gala - Rob, you weren't home for Festivus or Christmas.  So there was a new event, the Spring Semester Gala, shortly before the end of your winter break.  We hope you like the ACLU membership from Steve and other practical items.....  various supplies, including a light cordless vacuum for litter clean-up.  

Kitty Updates - Oren and Grimm enjoyed our mostly-empty bedroom after painting was completed in mid December.  No more floral wall paper!  It's now fresh and bright, with new sconces.  Super happy to have this final "big" remodeling job done, which was possible since we had 2 other bedrooms to temporarily put furniture and other stuff.  One other MAJOR change has been that Oren went away with you Rob to become a Copper Beech Commons apartment cat....  as shown in the second picture below.  The beginning was not easy, but you texted me that Oren is now adjusting well.  Your roommate Ben definitely likes him, hopefully Connor does too.  It will be lovely for us to have time with Oren again during your spring break in March.