Fog Blog

On Tuesday we walked downtown in the fog after dinner. It was FOGGY. But really creepy. In a good way. We went all the way down to the pier. Out on the pier it was dark and thrilling. You could hear the fog horns and see flashing green warning lights. Very few people were out and about, except in the restaurants. On the way back I lagged behind and took a bunch of low-quality pictures. And here they are! On the pier.


The railroad station.
This is the Double Rainbow ice cream parlor. You can just see the rainbow on the sidewalk. (That's the husband.) Here's the old gym at the end of L Street. It used to be the Benicia High gym. People were playing basketball in there.

When we got home, Hugo was waiting for us on the porch. If you look closely, you can see her on the little wall to the left. She was happy to come inside for a snuggle. That was fun!

A Foggy Weekend at Wellington

view from Wellington towards water

It was foggy absolutely ALL WEEKEND here. Friday afternoon we had a little sun. Just enough to lead you on. Just enough to make you believe the weather reports - sunny and almost 70 degrees. That's my 3rd favorite temperature! But we were disappointed. Only partially. Because although it was, as previously stated, foggy absolutely ALL WEEKEND, that meant we got to relax and have fires and watch movies. Some of us ran right up the fig tree.Actually, the daughter spent Saturday night in San Francisco with some "friends" she apparently likes more than her "mother." But I suppose that's healthy. And anyway, it meant that the husband and I got to stay home and snuggle. Theoretically.



Speaking of theories, look how well this little vine is creeping towards one of the birdhouses. Is it too cute? And picturesque? Which apparently means something different than picaresque, but when all is said and done, does it really matter? No! Because look:


I found this book at the library. And it contains a picture of a house in South Pasadena that is sort of similar to Wellington. It is a Craftsman-style home, but with a full 2nd story, which some people would say keep it from being a true Craftsman. They're wrong, though. And also it has a slopey roof over the front porch, like Wellington. And a 2nd story terrace/balcony with the teeniest bit of the balcony wall showing from the front, just like Wellington. I wanted to include a picture of it in here, but I couldn't find it online and I'm too lazy to scan. So you'll just have to imagine what it looks like. Maybe this will help:

"With its swooping roofline descending to shelter its front porch, this full two-story Craftsman-style house was deliberately styled to resemble a smaller bungalow."

See? And because I used the picture from the front cover, as well as this quote, I better say the title and authors so I don't get in trouble for plagiarism. Here it is: Beyond the Bungalow by Paul Duchscherer and Linda Svendsen. It's a good one. I highly recommend it.

There. I did my duty. And don't you just love, love, love Downton Abbey on Masterpiece Theater?

Now for a cup of tea.

New Table and Historic Preservation!

This is our new table. We are very happy with it because not only is it LARGE and since the daughter and I work from home we love to SPREAD OUT, but it is Mission Style and fits with Wellington's flavor oh, so deliciously.

In other news, the Frisbie Walsh house up the street (which is the oldest residence in Benicia) is finally being renovated after months and months of sitting idle with its weeds growing up and its steps disintegrating. I understand it has been a Bed and Breakfast in the past. I'm not sure what it is planning to be in the future, but I'm sure glad it's getting some Tender Loving Care because it deserves it!

Here are some views from the alley. It used to have a completely rotted back wall that fronted on the alley, but they have completely replaced that.

Here's that back structure on the alley. They were working on it yesterday in the rain, too! I'll keep you posted.

Can't Beat a Beet

Oh beets, why are you so blech? You are gorgeous. And apparently you're good for me. But you taste like beets.

Don't tell, but today the daughter and I bought some things at some after-Christmas sales. I bought a 4 foot peggly tree like the little 2 1/2 foot peggly tree I had near my front door this year. And I bought some garland to put on my stairs. Just the right amount for my little bit of downstairs railing. It's going to be SO cute next year around here!

Last week I bought a new house to go with the Mini Wellington glitter village I'm making. I figured next Christmas I can make the church to go with the Mini Wellington glitter village. But yesterday I found a church that was too good to pass up! So now the Mini Wellington village has three houses and one church. And I haven't even made the 2011 glitter house yet!

The daughter bought the same 4 foot peggly tree and a candle. We bought them here http://www.beniciabay.com/.

Oh, Christmas 2011 is going to be SO FUN!

Wellington's Post Christmas Bliss

Here is a little glimpse of how Wellington is fairing after his HUGE Christmas celebration!
This is one of my favorite parts of Wellington's Christmas decor. The daughter moved her desk chair out into the living room. It looks so cute in by the tree! I haven't decided if she can have it back yet.Here's a gift that I bought for someone, and Wellington ended up with it. It's supposed to be a cupcake stand or something. But we think it looks nice holding Wellington's fruit. He shares it with us.
This is Hugo's favorite Christmas spot, besides curled up next to one of us on the sofa with her head in our lap and her arms stretched out as far as they go. She likes to sit by the tree and just stare at the lights. Makes me think she must have loved Christmas in one of her former lives.

My dear friend, Katie, brought me this ornament. I used to collect cows, so this is a very special memento.

Here's Hugo asking me for something. I think it was her special Christmas treat of Kitty Tuna. That's what she got, anyway.

I bought this little flower pot in a shop in town that was going out of business, back in October. I hid it away in my secret storage compartment under the eaves in my bedroom cubby. As Christmas approached, I found this Amaryllis and planted him in the pot. When it came time to start giving gifts, I decided Wellington didn't want to part with this little guy. So he is sitting on my kitchen garden shelf, anxious to open up and show his stuff.

The kids were playing today with their Christmas presents. The daughter has a Kindle and the son has a new game. I can't remember what it's called, but he likes it.

The husband, the daugher and I went to the mall yesterday to return a Christmas runner to Macy's. The daughter and I saw this pillow that looked so cute, I had to snap a pic. I might have even bought it, but it was $100! What are they thinking?

Now we've just finished dinner (acorn squash, corn/bell pepper saute, risotto and chicken breasts) and the husband is cleaning the kitchen. Then we're going to relax all over the place.

Creepy Santa Collection

As I long ago promised to all of my loyal readers, here is the Creepy Santa post. This is a collection I started last year with this adorable little guy. The best part about him is that whatever he used to be holding in his left hand has long ago fallen off. So now, in addition to having an unnaturally red face and a menacing sneer, he is holding a metal spear.

This one with a guilty look on his little face appears to be perched next to a mushroom. He is holding a bunch of greenery in his right hand. Not sure what he's up to, but I assume it's nothing good.

Next one is pretty cute, but he gets to be in the Creepy Santa collection by virtue of his age and angle. I would say he's more jolly than creepy.

This one is new this year. He is plastic and hollow and he cost 95 cents. This is enough to get him into the Creepy Santa collection, but on top of it all, he's 10 inches tall. I would say he's more tacky than creepy, but at that price I couldn't pass him up.
.

This is a plastic head with no eyeballs. You shove him onto one of those fairy lights on your tree. He's supposed to give you the holiday spirit, but he reminds me of the time I took care of my friend's dead turtle. I thought he was just shy until I noticed his eyesockets were empty because he was decomposing.

This one is new for 2010. He was contributed by Marc. At first glance you might think he is "quaint" but you may not have noticed that he has a teeny face that I'm pretty sure is creepy. I'm going to get a magnifying glass and look more closely as soon as I have the time.

I just love this one. I bought him this year at the Polka Dot Attic in Danville. He is actually my most expensive Creepy Santa (many of them being virtually free). I was sufficiently creeped out when I brought him to the clerk, in his little cellophane wrapper and Christmas bow. But when she paused before ringing him up to make sure I knew that he was a "footless" Santa, I was sold.

The rest of these are on my wish list. Most of them I found on eBay while trying to price my collection (I think it might be worth about $4). But I wanted to hang onto their pictures for nostalgic purposes. I think they require no further explanation.

Except this last one. I didn't actually find him on eBay. The brother sent me this pic and I'm still having nightmares. Where he found it, I don't even want to know. That's not Christmassy at all!

Christmas at Wellington

Welcome to Wellington at Christmastime. I never thought I could love Wellington more. But I was wrong. Our house is so cute, cozy and Christmassy I'm not sure if I can stand it. But I'll try.

When we first moved here, my sister-in-law, asked me where we would put the Christmas tree. That was in June. (she loves Christmas.) She suggested we put it in the front room so you could see the twinkling lights through the front door. She was right!
There's a little store downtown called Romancing the Home, which absolutely had to be scouted out for new Christmas decorations. This little tree is from that store, along with the three pink and white Christmas trees that Mini Wellington is using for his Christmas scene.

That's Mini Wellington on the right.

Also, this little castle cage to the left in this pic was from there. It usually has ivy plants in it, but they're taking a little break outside. Now it has sprigs from the Christmas tree, along with lights and a couple of ornaments, including a new cow ornament from Auntie Katie. There's one of the new creepy Santas (blog post to follow) to the right of the Christmas Castle.

Some kitties love, love, love Christmas. They have to sort of lick their paws so they can keep nice and clean in Wellington at Christmastime. We don't like little muddy kitty prints on the floor. The daughter took this pic of Hugo on her bed. Don't tell Pop.

Speaking of Pop. Here's the husband and son bringing the tree into Wellington. The tree was so big we had to bring it around to the front door. This was before we decorated it.

One last Wellington at Christmastime photo, and then I have to go relax and knit and have a cup of tea. More posts to follow, if I have time. I have a party to plan!