Wednesday, December 26, 2007


I didn't take the picture above, but I imagine it is a perfect place to daydream about "places I'd rather be."

Okay, just chillin. The "Day" is over, things are back to semi-normal, and I'm back at the salt mines. I hope everyone had a wonderful day yesterday, whether celebrating Christmas or not - it was a beautiful day after all. No accidents in the kitchen, (how COULD there be... nobody would leave me alone with a knife... LOL) lots of food, fun, fellowship... a quick 4 hour drive (squished in with 4 other big people into a little compact car) to the most beautiful spot ever - Morro Bay where I picked up some fresh crab, shrimp and oysters (shucked them myself) for Christmas dinner... drove back up north the next day. The trip was WAY too short, but as my motto says, "Better some than none". Now I have to tally up the damage done by the holiday madness - mainly to my bank account. But in the end it was all worth it...



Now: I'm starting my Christmas shopping early this year - no more leaving it til the last minute! (famous last words...) .. Ha ha ha Guffaw... that's a good one :D

18 comments:

Ariel the Thief said...

You sure start your New Year Pledges early this year. :-P

Breathtaking photo.

Tom & Icy said...

It was a great day yesterday. Glad everything turned so well for you.
And that picture fascinates me, too. I think it needs to be a bit foggy when the dew raises in the morning while using some sort of adjustable polarizing filter to catch the rays that reflect off the moisture in the air. Something like that. I'll have to go out early and try it when the humidity is high.

javajazz said...

i thought you said no one would leave you alone with da knife...YOU SHUCKED OYSTERS YOURSELF???? perhaps just tempting fate? oh, i reckon you'll probably be super careful with knives from now on..but you had to start with oyster shucking???
well, glad your fingers are all intact
and sounds like you had a great christmas...what would everyone do without you, mama?? xo

tsduff said...

Ariel - I have to start my pledge early, because I never want to get stuck again in this horrible Christmas countdown unprepared ... as was the case this year. Too chaotic, too confused... certainly not enough time to just enjoy the sweet gifts of the season.

Tom and Icy - I would never have figured out how to catch those lovely shafts of light in the forest.. moisture you say? I'm about to embark upon getting a high quality camera - perhaps a Canon Powershot or something similar. I'm excited.. do you think it will make me a bona fide photographer? (ha ha - I adore beauty - especially beauty in pictures... but I know there is some skill involved... LOL)

Lucy, You have opened the door to a topic I'm delighted to discuss: I got the oyster shucker last Christmas (a year ago, yeah) up in the Puget Sound whilst visiting my Aunt and Uncle. They took me to an oyster farm up the road, where I not only was instructed on the fine points of oyster shucking, but also purchased my very own oyster shucker!!!! You have no idea how proud I was, last night, to shuck 12 of the sexy shellfish without a single misphap, sticking, slashing, puncture.. you know. Actually, let me teach you about the tool itself. It is a blunt, medium sized shaft with a hard plastic handle, fitted to your palm with a resting place for your thumb (for leverage). Once you pierce the muscle (yes, I learned where to look) you give the tool a twist, and voila! It just pops open! There's more, but I won't torture you with the small details. I savored every single delicious bite that smacked of the ocean, a squeeze of lemon, and a dab of horse-radishy cocktail sauce... I was in heaven!!! So, just get me a shack by the ocean, a lifetime's supply of oysters, and I'll just be sublimely happy.

How's the boy? Getting some great together time? How is he at shoveling the snow? (hint hint) My kiddo just took off today :( but I will see him on Sunday when he drives back to Reno.

Anonymous said...

I'm taking chilling time until the New Year, might crawl into your image and fall aslee ...

Crazy Me said...

I usually start my Christmas shopping the day after but this year ... sooooooo not in the mood.

G-Man said...

I envy all folks that live by the ocean. I'd be eating seafood everyday.
I'm glad you didn't cut yourself, and I'm glad you had a Merry Christmas.
Have a wonderful and prosperous New Year Terry.
Galen...xox

lime said...

glad you survived. you and i can go to that happy place in the woods and enjoy our delusions of starting early next year..whaddya say?

Casdok said...

Beautiful peacful picture.

javajazz said...

wow, so you're like,
an oyster shucker graduate??
it is kind of like an art
aint it!
very cool.

brian isnt aquainted
with the snow shovel.
but he and his wacky
and too happy buddies
went out toboganning
at 1:30 in the morning
the other night...
man, was i nervous!
crazy boys....
holiday fun i suppose....!
no, i'm the only one
who knows that snow shovel
like the back of my hand...
i'll have to send you my photo
where i carved 2 hearts out of snow
on my driveway...
well, arts and crafts, man!

hope you're resting peacefully
and contentedly with you and
your Bear....xo

Kelly said...

That does look like a most perfect thinking spot!

jillie said...

Well I am glad to hear there were no accidents in the kitchen this year...WHEW! Our Christmas was fairly low keyed which was fine with me. Too much means too much stress.

Mmmmm...all that seafood sounds wonderful...for everyone else BUT me...deathly allergic to it all...lol!

Happy New Yeah Terry!!

XOXO

G said...

So let me get this straight - your occupational therapy is oyster shucking? Hmmmmm.

I like your style, crow - better some than none. That's good.

photowannabe said...

Fresh crab for Christmas...now that's a perfect present Yummm. Beautiful picture you added too.
Sometimes a little inconvience is worth all the effort. Glad you had a good Christmas.
Happy Christmas shopping....

RED MOJO said...

yes, the madness is mostly over. Time to relax. :)

tsduff said...

Anonymous - I did the same thing :D

Crazy Me - I have not yet begun to shop. (don't hold your breath)

Galen - I envy them too LOL! A four hour drive to the best seafood around was worth it though. Thanks for the well-wishes - I wish you the same this New Year - peace and prosperity in all ways. Hope you get some good time off.

Lime - Why didn't you wake me in time for Thursday's post? It's so dreamy under the trees... shopping? did you say shopping?

tsduff said...

Casdok - Thanks for stopping by. I love your Shrek ears.

JJ - resting peacefully? HA! Where'd you get that crazy idea?

Hey, I kinda like the sound of that "Oyster Shucker Graduate" ;) Yes, I'm getting rather good at it, although still slower than molassass in January. I love tobogginning :D

tsduff said...

Kelly Malloy - Nice of you to stop by. Get any snow out there in the great wide open of Nevada?

Actonbell - or a crow, or a bear...
Better some than none is my daily motto.

Jillie - again, my condolences regarding your seafood allergy... I can hardly think of a worse plight ;-O, as I adore seafood, shellfish, fresh sushi and sashimi, yum yum yum.

I bet the cast is just itchin to come off... you haven't been doing any jumping jacks now have you? Hope all the pain is finally gone, and that you and R have the very best of New Year's celebrations. xxxooo

Photowannabe - My sister (RIP Tammy) had her birthday every Dec 15. Because it was the opening of the crab season, my Grandmother always went out and bought fresh crab to celebrate Tammy's birthday, along with fresh clarified butter, delicious sourdough bread, and artichokes. I always felt a bit jealous at the seeming preferential birthday celebration (mine was last month) but delightedly ate the royal repaste with great gusto :) along with the rest of the family. Crab is food of the gods yes?

Red Mojo - I haven't purchased my Christmas present yet. oh boy. The best is yet to come. Soon.