Did *you* know about Narwhals?

At the food pantry a couple of Tuesdays ago, there was a donation of non-food items from one of the grocery stores.

One of the items donated was a purple stuffed whale with what I thought was a unicorn's horn.

I thought it was really cute, but I didn't learn until later that it is a "Narwhal"!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal

I first thought that the silver thing on the side was its eye, but I noticed a different eye on the other side (and then found the one on this side - you can kind of see it in the upper picture, further toward the front). Then I realized that the silver thing was a wind-up key and it would play "You Are My Sunshine"!

Some child will enjoy this, I am sure!

My Christmas decorations are completed!

Well... they might not be totally completed, but, they are at least well started:

From the inside...

It just makes me smile to see it... although it makes it impossible to look out the window in the door now!

I bet you don't have these options in *your* break room!

Before Thanksgiving, I stopped by the break area in the Four Points Lounge (primarily a break/study area for the DIU students) and found:

I offered to get some for friends...
One gave as his opinion that they probably weren't Keto...
Another said that they didn't want to deprive someone else of the opportunity to sample them...
I decided I just didn't want any!

It's a big birthday!

Last Tuesday during our staff meeting, our team surprised Mark with gifts to recognize an upcoming "significant milestone" birthday...

A walker...

"What's in this package?"

"Oh good, pain cream..."

"And a big pill container!"

Some Whoppers...

And hair color...

"World's Best Boss"

While the majority of the gifts were "gag" gifts, he also got a new backpack!

It Depends!

Trying out his walker, "just in case"

I so enjoy the team that I get to work with!

Now *that's* a big acorn!

I was talking with my brother about the big acorns that the tree near Miss Doozie produces... so I took a picture to share with all of you:

That's my "house" key to give perspective on size.

I think they are from a Burr Oak tree based on an internet search: https://www.brit.org/phytophilia/what-thing-bur-oak-acorn-cap

The picture also shows some caps that the squirrels have gnawed off of the nuts. I figure whichever squirrels get these will have the equivalent of about 5-6 of the smaller acorns! They could get their whole collecting for the season completed in just an afternoon! I have wondered how much it would hurt if one of those hit me on the head when I was outside. It appears that they have all fallen now, so I guess I don't need to look into a helmet for this season, anyway!

Bringing in the Christmas tree

On Friday a week ago when I was working at the Welcome Desk, the Christmas tree arrived on the back of a golf cart...

Jill had told me that last year, they decided to tie the ornaments on with fishing line and wrap the tree in plastic for storage, so no putting together or decorating would be required this year...

Miss Iris was supervising...

The now-partially wrapped tree was placed in the back office - to be put out on display sometime in the next few days.

Last Monday, when I was again serving at the Welcome Desk, it was time to put the tree on display...

Placed in the lobby...

After the plastic was removed, Jill and Mary began the re-positioning of ornaments...

Mary and I worked on re-stringing a couple of strings of beads that had come loose.

All finished and lit!

I am so grateful to be here to celebrate Christmas!

Giving Thanks!

I was blessed to spend Thanksgiving with Kathleen and Mark:

Such good friends!

And also Cora! (I forgot to make sure I knew the right way to spell her name, with a "C" or a "K".)

Thank you, friends!