8 Days of Christmas: Christmas Party

At the embassy, picking up a boring order of Kleenex from Amazon. 

Then we went next-door to the ambassador's house. There were hordes of little kids, and all the kids our age are girls. The boys are still talking about the party in Oman at the ambassador's house. This one wasn't nearly as much fun without friends. 

We got home to a house full of smoke. Our House is a duplex, so our chimney sucks down all the smoke from the neighbor's fire. I've been meaning to get firewood, but have not got around to it.  Our own fire would have created the necessary updraft. 

So this is a toaster in the fireplace. We have a crazy toaster that doesn't shut itself off. The idea is that you put baguette on it sliced sideways. 

     Thanks, Mom, for putting up with all those smoky fires in your fireplace, so that I could learn all about updrafts.  It cleared the room like magic.