SIX DOWN, NINE TO GO --- TIS THE SEASON!

With Christmas just around the corner, it's a busy time of year. It's a time for celebration, meditation and thanksgiving and parties, parties and more parties! Our family has so much to be thankful for. We all have our health, our friends, our Lord and each other. We are truly blessed.

In years past, I used to do so much decorating for this festive time of year, but I now realize that the real point of the Advent season is getting yourself ready for the coming of Christ.

Traditionally, Christmas trees were not brought into the home and decorated until Christmas Eve , and then removed the day after twelfth night, i.e. Epiphany, which is celebrated on the 6th of January. It was thought to have a tree up before or after these dates was considered bad luck. Unfortunately, modern commercialisation of Christmas has resulted in trees being put up much earlier, sometimes as early as late October in department stores. This to me is such a shame since that's not really what Christmas is all about.

I used to do lots of decorating as you can see in the photograph above, but as I get older and hopefully wiser, I'm doing less and less and will not put our tree up until the morning of Christmas Eve this year. Our little Ian asked me if I was going to "hang" a little tree or a big one this year. I told him that to my knowledge, I had never hung a tree in my house, but if I did, it would be a little one.

Our calendar has been filled with friends and parties this past week. We either were out being entertained or entertaining friends at dinner in our home every night this past week. I managed to sneak in a nap or two during the day so that helped as I'm not really a night person and don't do late evenings very well!

I am including some photographs of the new owners of some of my personal artwork as well as the artwork of my painting group.

My dear friends from Dallas bought the Papa Bear that they commissioned. Here you can see the Wine Connoisseurs and the Bar Bill in their Dallas home with Ray and Maria. They really look great in their bar. They invited us over for dinner and we had a lovely evening with them and another couple. It was a lovely evening. The lighthouse watercolor that they bought is now at their lake house in Oklahoma and Papa Bear is on his way to his new home in Crested Butte, Colorado, their other home as we speak.

The cross that I designed for Canvas by Canvas has by far been our best seller. I have personally sold 4 of these crosses and another member of the group has just sold one as well. Even though they look a lot alike, each one is original and also different since different artists paint each square on the 6 squares of the cross. We will do commissions of this cross for anyone who is interested. All we need is a little advance notice and we will start to paint. They make a unique and very special gift that you can't find just anywhere, so keep us in mind for something for that special someone.

The first cross that I sold is hanging in a ranch home of a client and the second one is in the Narthax at our parish, St. Alban's in Arlington. It was purchased to be hung in memory of Bailey Cawthron, a good friend of ours, who we lost several years ago. He and Frank were very good friends and played golf together with what they called the "Doctor's Group" 2-3 times a week for over 30 years. There were 24 in the group which was made up of local physicians and dentists and they played at our club here in Arlington as well as all over Texas. Several in the group would also take golf trips which included the wives and we traveled all over the US and Canada. We played cards while they played golf a week at a time. Those were wonderful times. Bailey will always be missed but has a special place in our hearts. The photograph below is of his widow and children the day the cross was dedicated at our church.

Most of my painting group attended the Holy Eucharist and dedication service for the cross which was very special. Father Kresowaty did an excellent job. Here are the members of our group who attended the service. The fact that they were there meant so much to the Cawthron family. Wish they could have all been there to celebrate this most memorable occasion.

A couple of nights ago we went to some long time friend's home to have dinner. We were in Santa Fe when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, so we had the privilege of a "Private" showing of the video that their daughter had put together for the Anniversary celebration. While we were there I photographed them with the cross that her husband bought from us for her birthday. It looks wonderful in their living room. I sold yet another cross last week as a surprise Christmas gift and was paid in cash! You can see that this will help with the purchase of Christmas gifts. The only thing green around here this season will not the Christmas tree. The girls will be happy.

We will be attending an open house for the church today to celebrate Christmas and I also will be attending a celebration of the life of another friend that we lost t0 cancer last week. He had a long hard battle and fought the good fight. He will also be missed by all of the may people whose lives he touched.

We were in a Gourmet Supper Club together for many years and had some great times together. Good food, good wine and lots of silliness. We're all hams at heart when the paparazzi is around ;-) He was always surrounded by the ladies. As a true gentleman, he loved to be in the company of women.Gatherings won't quite be the same without him.

Last night we attended a party that was given by the bank of which Frank is a Board member. It was held in a private home and it was a lovely affair as well. Their home was decorated beautifully for the holiday season and there was an elaborate table set with all kinds of good food. I'd better keep working out at the fitness center at the hospital or I'll look more like Santa than I already do. Hopefully I won't start to grow a beard ;-)

The time has come for me to get dressed, run errands and see old friends at both the church open house as well as and at Jack's memorial celebration. I hope that you have a lovely weekend and I'll be back in touch soon.

With love and good cheer! Pcasso