Christmas Is Nigh

  dw has largely finished putting up the decorations. The Christmas tree, as happens about every other year, is unusual -- this year it's not actually a tree, or even organic: Two weeks ago I was working in the studio when dw came in, noticed an incomplete steel sculpture leaning against the wall and after a moments thought asked if we could use it as a tree. There was no reason not to, so I cleaned it up a bit, built a temporary stand and voila' -- a Christmas tree.

(The sculpture was inspired by -- but isn't a representation of -- Yggdrasil, a tree in Norse mythology. I anticipate I'll be able to write a particularly insipid piece for an artists statement)

   Last year we used a potted evergreen. That one we really liked because it looked like a Xmas tree drawn by Berkeley Breathed for Bill The Cat. On another occasion I cobbled together three bamboo stalks for a tree -- that wasn't very successful, it just looked goofy  -- In between times we do a real tree
   The second picture is part of the assorted wall hangings dw puts up. The total effect is quite festive  and way more work than I'd ever do on my own.

   My sister, Rosemary L. stopped by Saturday to show off her way cool sports car (a Mazda rx7) She was looking very sports-car-driverish, with a long duster type coat, driving gloves and shades. Having a sports car has been a life-long dream for her and it's great that she finally has one.
   I've scratched my sports car itch a couple of times: Once with a Porsche, which needed far more work than I was willing to do myself, and which I certainly couldn't afford to have done. But when it ran, it was really fun. And my favorite was a Triumph TR3 -- it was a piece of junk but I loved that car. On one occasion some of the wiring under the dash caught fire -- the smoke was so thick I couldn't see the floor pan. I pulled over, jumped out, and waited to see if I owned a TR3 Brulee. After the smoke cleared, I got back in, started the car and drove away. I never did figure it out. Another time the wheel studs started snapping off. I did manage to limp home but two of the wheels had only one stud each left. Finally it got a leak in the gas tank and became a yule log -- a TR3 Flambe'  -- I sold it to the knackers at that point.      

   In spite of all dw's decorating efforts, we're going to be gone for Christmas. We're going to visit dw's family in Wisconsin where I expect I'll freeze my Mediterranean Climate Buns off. And I will note that I already got no ass. I use duct tape to hold up my underwear. All of my flab is up front where I can see it.    

   Books:  A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again (David Foster Wallace) -- a collection of essays from the 90's -- some are dated, some very erudite and some very funny. I enjoyed the book a lot -- it's really too bad he died so young (suicide). I've started Trophy Hunt (C. J. Box) so far so good, and I don't think I've already read it. And Great Paintings (assorted authors)  reproduction of assorted works from 1100 to the present. With an analysis of each work and a brief discussion of the artist. It's very good.  DA