Yes, Virginia, there is a family resemblance (spoiler - that's my brother!)
Highlight(s): Although it was a day off today, I stuck with the daily routines for the most part, including getting up early. I enjoyed a bit of quiet solo time before taking Scottie for a meandering walk. We went to Pano, took the dog with us, and spent the morning working on a few things. Jen worked on sorting books. I installed the new "smart lock" and "smart thermostat." Both went relatively smoothly, although I realized after putting it in that the lock wasn't the model that's compatible with HomeKit. I found and ordered the right one, and I'll swap it out next week. It'll be a simple swap. After returning briefly to Matson, I started a "Christmas Movie" marathon. "A Christmas Story" was interrupted with a request to drop Lauren at her friends near Pano, so I spent a bit more time there again. I had a chance to chat with Ian, which was enlightening about some conflicts between neighbors and his sharing that his brother passed away from a brain tumor years ago. We learned this afternoon that a covid "exposure" at SRC has Linda's building in lockdown. We had big plans, but they were only delayed, not canceled. We hope to be allowed back in as early as Monday. I finished the 1st movie and followed it with "Scrooge" (Alister Sim), my absolute favorite of any version of the Dickens' classic. Jen pre-made the main dish for tomorrow, and it's delicious. I can't wait. The four of us went out to drive through Willow Glen. We found hundreds of others doing the same. It was a fun casual drive, and I didn't get stressed by the parade of cars as much as I did by pedestrians wearing black at night. Yikes! We returned to find that Lucky had found and started to work through Tommy's gift bag for me with coffee and chocolate, but we got back before he got far enough to do damage. Our tree is encircled with gifts. There are even ones from the kids to each other and us. It's heartwarming to feel a healthy family dynamic in our home this holiday. I settled in and concluded my marathon with "It's a Wonderful Life." This one has been a staple throughout my entire life. From decades of watching it on TV as a child, writing a heartfelt reflection to close friends based on its premise in my twenties, diving deep into Frank Capra's catalog of work, to multiple trips to the Stanford Theater for the consistently sold-out Christmas Eve screening which remains amongst my top movie-going experiences ever.0
Accomplishment(s): Installed the door lock and thermostat as mentioned above.
Gratitude: My appreciation of sentimental, life-affirming movies.
Anticipation: Christmas morning.
Health: Weight: 162.6 (1d: 0, 7d avg: -0.09) | Steps: 6339 | Avg Heart Rate: 71
Habits: Mediation Presence Gratitude Calm Action Friendship Family
"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" - Clarence,' It's A Wonderful Life.