Reynard shows up

 Here's today's Advent Calendar door.  Reynard, fox of folklore and myth, taking a quiet nap with a friend.

And yesterday, I got all dressed up.  Found and put on The Official Pearls.

Handsome Son showed up with groceries and a marbled poundcake, which we dived into happily. He had apparently examined all the baked goods on offer and finally decided we'd both like this.  He eventually went home with half of what was left after we had had enough cake.  I must say, that sitting and being served cake and tea, and a friendly card, on a warm sofa, is a terrific birthday celebration.

And he brought down the box of Christmas stuff, all bits and bobs, really, so I set up the creche together with a display of handmade ornaments Handsome Partner had got from a colleague many years ago, and used to decorate his little fake tree.  Woven star on the roof of the stable.

Handsome Son picked out his favorite figurines and toys, and included an Izzy doll in the display on the mantelpiece. Dark, rainy morning, not good for pix.  But can you see the handcarved llama there, next to a doll.  I suggested putting him closer to the creche figures, but Handsome Son said, no, that might hurt the doll's feelings if we push her out!  I think he's got into the spirit of fantasy around here.

And the Dollivers and their dogs demanded, and got, a display of their own, complete with handmade felt stars, made in the Himalayas, if I remember right, which were a benefit for the Snow Leopard foundation.

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That's it, totally, for the season.  I feel as if I've done my bit now.  And my neighbor across the street has obligingly started with hanging lights outside, and a wreath and there's a huge tree in her living room, visible from the door, which I will enjoy a lot once she gets it decorated, as she usually does each year.

I think our little family may be in for an electronic Christmas.  Handsome Son's main laptop has started breaking down, after years of hard wear, and he's out shopping today for a replacement. It's his work laptop on which he's been doing his high tech part time project work.  Sad news there, it's going away at the end of the month. The project was based on a process which Adobe is withdrawing December 31. So he's handling it like a trouper, as he does everything.  It's a hit to his income, though.  On the good side, he won't have to buy the highest end laptop, just one that will accommodate his other testing gigs.

And my Android tablet is being overcome by upgrades in websites and browsers to the point where the processor is giving up the struggle.  I've used it constantly since 2012, so it's not too surprising. In tablet terms it's practically an antique.

Since I don't like Apple, find it overpriced and cultish, I've avoided going there, but the Android tablet world has not advanced.  They seem to have been overcome by Apple tablets, and there's little to find on the market, except for Samsung, the one with the reputation for bursting into flames.  So I'm reluctantly having to consider an iPad.  Which is interesting, in that there aren't any available until several weeks from now.  Seemingly the Apple elves have been overcome by demand, probably from pandemic changes, I'd guess. 

Sooooo, maybe in January I'll have an iPad and be functional again with a tablet.  Right now I'm overloading my phone, an Android with limited memory, and firing up my laptop much more.  The good news about my phone is that it will weather the upgrade to 4G.  It's on the Tracfone list of phones that don't need to be replaced when cell towers move to 4G at the end of December.  Another deadline.  Some of these were set to happen early this year, but the pandemic caused carriers like Verizon to rethink their timing, and push it back to the end of the year instead.

I plan to reimburse Handsome Son for the new laptop, since I was going to give him Christmas money anyway, may as well do it that way.  And I have to save up for my tablet.  Always something!   But here's the good thing:  I will be able to do it.  So there's that, too.

All in all, on balance, as the politicians say, all's good here.