Bag o' Pomegranates

So, I went this weekend to a Christmas party held by my friend B in Paso Robles. A bit of a drive, but it's a pretty drive and well worth it. Not only to see her, of course, but also to slave in her kitchen to help prepare, and sleep until 9:30 this morning. Note I put that second bit in because she now knows this blog exists and may begin reading. This is my life!! Or, a bit of it.

I hadn't been feeling the Christmas spirit, but this certainly made up for it. In part because she played Christmas music ALL DAY on Saturday... But also because Paso Robles has a now 30-odd-year tradition of closing off Vine street one night for blocks and blocks and letting pedestrians walk along and look at all the amazing Christmas lights. And experience the various extra perks, such as:
- musicians
- Mr and Mrs. Winter on their thrones
- A VERY creepy walking moving snowman posing with kids in the yard.
- Hot line to Santa (a small phone booth where kids could go and call Santa - so great!)
- Scrooge's house all lit up and Scrooge himself coming in and out of doors yelling "bah humbug" and "you smell: and all that
- A 'hill' of 'snow' that kids under 4 could sled down
- various choruses of kids
- A 'werewolf' you could pet.
- Santa himself (I only saw the one, so perhaps it wasn't quite so confusing to the kids.. not sure.. I would think they kind of organize that so every other house doesn't have a Santa)
- A beautifully decorated area. They did lines of fishing wire horizontally on high (tree tops height) and then hung various color ball ornaments at different heights and different depths into the yard. Seemingly simple, likely very complex to actually do, and very very magical looking. Everyone who came across it looked up in wonder.
- free coffee, tea, popcorn, and.... my favorite... cotton candy!!! I was walking along and saw a father and son with cotton candy. I wished for it, and then there was the line to get free cotton candy! A pediatrician (of all places, yes) had set up THREE cotton candy makers and were pumping it out. And big balls too! I stood in the long line and it went very fast. Yum Yum Yum. But it went so fast. So I wished I had more. And then I saw ANOTHER place that was giving away cotton candy. Smaller, but I didn't care. Got in that line and got some more. My Christmas wishes came true.

It was a very nice 24 hours. I left with wine made by the guy next door (who became dear to me the night before when he arrived with a bottle of good champagne - I was first in line! Apparently Leo's love champagne. Who knew. And then because I was sad there was no more, went home and brought back another bottle), a bag of pomegranate bits that were from a friend's yard, various cheeses and veggies and other leftovers from the party. So far my dinner has been nuts and pomegranates. Maybe I'll have some cheese and bread and perhaps salami...

mmm.... I'm hungry.