Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2007. One night during the holiday season we took Mattie to see the outdoor lights at Brookside Gardens in Maryland. Unlike other outdoor displays, Brookside's are featured within a garden setting. In addition, you do not view them by car. You park your car and then walk through the gardens. It is a magical experience and my favorite outdoor light event in the area. After our walk through the gardens, we went inside their visitor's center where they were featuring cookies and hot chocolate. Mattie hated chocolate, but he went in to entertain me. While sitting on a bench, I snapped this photo of Mattie with a wonderful garden metal sculpture!
Quote of the day: Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting. ~ Elizabeth Bibesco
When I arrived in Los Angeles the week of December 19, I decided to decorate my parent's house for Christmas. I did not do any decorating, not even a light, within my own home in DC. However, since my parents had friends coming over while I was here, I figured decorating would make it nice for others. My parent's neighborhood decorates inside and outside for Christmas and therefore in a way it inspired me to want to join in. I most definitely do not feel this way in DC. DC, in many ways, is so transient that no one around us seems to get in the holiday spirit. What a commentary about our big cities! Since Peter and I have lost a sense of holiday spirit within us, being surrounded by grayness and dullness during this time of year, only breeds further sadness.
Any case, for two weeks now, I have seen lights each evening and there is something to be said to seeing lights when it is dark so early. It seems to capture my attention and maybe also my mood. This morning I realized that in a few days I will be returning to DC, and therefore would need to start taking Christmas things down and store them for my parents. As any one who decorates knows, disassembling and storing things are much harder to do than the actual decorating.
This afternoon, we went for lunch at Mattie's favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. Mattie loved this restaurant because of its outdoor space and the fact that it had a fountain. Mattie's favorite table was of course right by the fountain. A boy who was fascinated by water and the movement of water. In fact, I can still picture him eating at this restaurant, of which he usually ordered his own individual pizza. Getting food into Mattie was an art form. Basically you had to encourage him to eat between building a structure or designing something. The ultimate multi-tasker, making meal times anything but boring.
My friends are preparing me for the cold weather shock that will be bestowed upon me when I return to DC on Monday. I can't get over the snow on the East Coast and naturally the storms in the Midwest. It is just hard to fathom California's weather. So far since I have been here I have awoken to sunshine and 70 degree temperatures. EVERYDAY!!! Something I most definitely prefer and do not take for granted. Since I find walking and sunshine very therapeutic and for me they combat grief, the winter months in DC are particularly awful. The freedom to go outside year round has it advantages and to me it is amazing to see green grass, flowers, and trees in bloom. A total night and day to DC's grayness and barren terrain.
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