There are several “End of Year” items to post, so this time I’ve got a mixed bag:

December is a busy month. The first 24 days zoom past in a blurry holiday drive-by. Shopping. Wrapping. Mailing. Planning. Kvetching. Returning. More Shopping. Cooking. Baking.  All in the cold and the dark.  We all get caught up in it to various degrees. It's not December at it's best. Oh, Christmas morning is great, but the other 30 days?

My Favorite Day of December:

However one moment of joy that I look forward to has nothing to do with the holiday. It's actually more of a psychological moment of pleasure dealing with the transition out of the dark days and into a new beginning. Not the New Year, but the Winter solstice. I look forward to it each December.  Since the time-change around Halloween, we're all forced into an ever increasing inky existence.  But come December 22nd 2011, the worst is officially over and there’s a certain pleasure in knowing that the light begins to regain its fair share of the day.

I've mentioned this before, but one of the niceties of getting in an early morning hike is that come winter, you can catch the sunrise with out changing your morning schedule. I took this picture on the solstice morning (Dec 22nd 2011) at 6:30 AM. It was a very nice morning on the trail with Virginia before turning our day over to the office cubicle. Skies pure and clear. No wind. A crescent moon. The trail above town is quiet, except for the small birds that peep in the bushes. Not sure we could find a better way to start the day.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Our wedding anniversary is Dec 24th, Christmas Eve.  How to celebrate?  Chinese food with family:

Yeah, the expression on my face: “Did I really eat all the Orange Chicken?” We had a great dinner at Gourmet 88 in Burbank. And I actually did NOT eat all the orange chicken.

Our 2011 Christmas Card:

2012 is Nearly Here. ARE YOU READY??

Sure, why not.  We hope you have a great New Year. Lot’s of health and happiness.  We hope to catch up with you soon!

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A rough ride, hard drivers seat, no rear window visibility and a lethargic gas pedal just to name a few negatives regarding my rental.  Goodbye Fiat 500, you little tin can, I won't miss you a bit.

In what seemed to be a marathon extended auto insurance claim process, I was finally able to get confirmation that I was not liable for the crash, then later (What, more waiting? Seriously??) that my Ford would be totaled & I needed to start looking for replacement vehicle quickly.

This all sounded so familiar when Virginia went through the same accelerated car shopping experience.

Her Toyota has turned out to be such a great used vehicle, that we used that strategy again:

So, life is finally feeling like it's getting back on track. Big exhale. Now on to the holiday pandemonium. Merry Christmas!

…

I'm collecting a box full of my stuff from inside my old buddy. My Ford Ranger has served me well, but it's a sad moment.  I've been evicted from my vehicle, and I'm walking away, box in hand for what might be the last time - depending on a decision from a bean-counter at the insurance company.  Thank  you, other driver - when you nailed us at the intersection of Woodman and Lanark - for ripping us apart. (Please apply any hefty amount of sarcasm of your choosing.)

The impact was startling and horrifying. We were hit hard in the passenger side rear wheel.  Hard enough for both the air bags to blow and the rear axel to become skewed.  Suddenly the cab was a shaken snow globe. Swirling bits of personal items in a cloud.  My glasses (they started out on the top of my head), photo id tags, loose change, Jamba Juice napkins, CD's and the parking stub from our visit to El Capitan State beach - are all air born.

Luckily, miraculously,  I emerge on to the side walk physically unharmed - albeit having a coughing spasm from all the post air bag dust that filled the cab.  An ambulance crew happened to be near by. They checked in on me and waited for police & tow truck to arrive.

Meanwhile my rental car is a Fiat 500, which to say is a different driving experience is an understatement.  I've never driven a sports car.  Although it's nice to think that it would be great to have one as your daily drive, I'm not so sure.  At least not this one.  No thanks, J Lo.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of my air bag experience.  Gone is any fear that an unused air bag might not work properly after 11 years, that's for sure.  And I can testify that they'd work to save you from serious head injury.  But to have both bags blow in a collision that was no where near the front side of the car leads me to believe my buddy was a bit premature.  Ah well, better safe than sorry?  Sure, why not.