02 JAN 26

“Where are the tongs?” Oxbear calls over the sizzle of bacon and wintry jazz on the Alexa...

“I think they were commandeered for the snake pit...”

Yali's gotta get those worms in there somehow...

So while Oxbear short order cooks some breakfast for everyone without tongs...

...we all enjoy a morning with a little less feline excrement than yesterday...

And by late afternoon it's time for the Garden Glow down in the city for everyone but Oxbear and Yali still hacky-coughing at home...

Puck has invited J and J's girlfriend to join us for the walk of lights... and it's two and a half hours of brisk but calm cold... meandering through festive music and luminaries and lights that look like fireflies and lanterns and fire pits and lots of hot chocolate... and two stops at the gift shop because my children appreciate quality products... they also enjoy dumpster diving...

This is followed by Patience's first experience at Taco Bell as we approach bedtime and she's looking a little sleepy over her chicken quesadilla with avocado ranch but still enthusiastic enough about the experience to declare... “That was good! I give it a 9 out of 10!”