Furry Gnomes Galore!

Every place I've looked this Christmas Furry Gnome relatives have been appearing.  I didn't realize I had so many relatives around town!  It's been fun spotting these, though since I got my own nickname nearly 50 years ago, I think I'm definitely ahead of this curve!

Our Christmas card this year featured a furry gnome couple, riding home for Christmas on the back of an old pick-up truck.

And when Mrs. F.G. went to buy more stamps, there was another furry fellow, in fact whole sheets of his picture.  We even had furry gnome wrapping paper, though in my rush to open more presents I failed to get a picture of that.

Then when I got into bed Christmas night, I discovered one more present - a fresh new bright red pillow case, featuring guess who!

Back to bed the next day and what should I find but another Furry Gnome pillowcase!

And finally, my big present, sitting on the windowsill, a Furry Gnome silhouette, cut out of sheet steel.  He's already outside keeping an eye on the garden.

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Our snow is almost gone here, with temperatures above freezing since just after Christmas.  On two days it has reached 10°C, unheard of for January here!  A very far cry from last weekend's blizzard.  So we got dinners rescheduled and went out for New Year's Eve dinner at lunch on the day before, at the Harrison Park restaurant.  We had a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings.  That restaurant has done a good job of spreading their tables out and putting in a few tasteful barriers, so we certainly didn't feel crowded.  

And I'm pleased to report that this restaurant has dramatically improved the accessibility of its front door.  When previously the door buttons were such that you got trapped in a vestibule trying to press the second button and open the second door, now one larger button opens both doors, which stay open long enough for you to ride right through.

On New Year's Eve itself we finally had Christmas dinner for lunch with our son and daughter-in-law from over near Lake Huron.  It was homemade lasagna, and it was delicious!  Perhaps you don't know the work that goes in to making true homemade Italian lasagna.  It's a two-day event in the kitchen, one day devoted to making the sauce, and the next the lasagna itself - but nothing tastes so good!

Again I wish you the happiest of New Years, and may it be prosperous and healthy for you.