December 10, - Must start that Christmas shopping!

I went down to Greenwich supposedly to start my Christmas shopping but spent most of the day relaxing and enjoying the snow covered nature. I took this photo of the cardinal and his friend at Colleen's bird feeder.

Later we went down to Cos Cob and had high tea at a new place in the center of town...and I just love this photo I took of a patriotic snowman.

December 4, - The Deer Hill Avenue Christmas Party

Another light snow fall created a festive atmosphere and the holiday season is officially launched with the neighborhood Christmas Party. Each year we have dinner at one house and desserts at another. The houses are mainly Victorians and always enchantingly decorated. It's the only time we get together with our neighbors so we always have lots to catch up on.

Our privet hedge looks like it's been dusted with powdered sugar...

The first house, where a buffet dinner was served had recently been restored maintaining the character of the house but updating and brightening it. It was elegant and charming...

...and this was the mantle in the pretty front parlor. For dessert we moved on to the next house...

The second house was equally lovely... beautifully restored and elegantly decorated. I counted four Christmas trees, but there may have been more.

Yes, this house was a Victorian marvel with lots of rich dark wood detail. Everyone loved the atmosphere.

...and we were all very impressed with their beautiful Victorian doll house. Its tiny halls were decked with wreaths and garlands and there was an illuminated Christmas tree and crystal chandelier.

...here it is from the inside. This party was definitely an ultra festive way to launch the holiday season on Deer Hill Avenue.

November 30, - In NYC to film for Inside Edition

Cat and I went into New York to film a segment on identical twins for the news show Inside Edition. They shot us shopping in midtown and interviewed us about dressing alike. The episode is going to air sometime in early January 2006. Anyway, it was lots of fun and we spent a great (ultra warm for November) day in the city.

The holiday window displays were already up...and they were amazing. This one at Lord & Taylor had an exotic Middle Eastern Theme...

...this one was more traditional.

After the filming, Cat and I stopped at the Madison Club Lounge in the Roosevelt Hotel for drinks.

This pretty Christmas tree was in the lobby. Yes the holidays are magic in NYC.

November 24, - 27, Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving morning there was a dusting of snow in Danbury. Just enough to look pretty. We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner at the Hilltop...

On Friday (perhaps motivated by the previous day's snow), I decided to begin decorating my Christmas tree. Each year I manage to break a couple of glass balls and this time it was my favorite antique ornament that fell crashing to the ground...

...luckily it was only broken on one side and the damage was not so extensive that I couldn't use it...and still looks cute!

...a bunch of my many other old ornaments, just waiting be hung on the tree.

This is another of my favorite ornaments. Yes, I like the quirky ones. It's old and a bit worse for the wear...all scraped up and covered with broken wires and tinsel. Anyway, I didn't get too far with the tree today...I'll have to finish it later.

On Saturday morning we took off for Foxwoods with our friends. Layla and Selin enjoyed the ride up in the limo.

These two gals are such fun to have along on a weekend. They're so good!

The butlers alway have everything perfect for us. They're the best.

Here we are at brunch on Sunday morning. Nick and I, Sulay, Selin, Jill, Layla and Elena.

November 19, The beach as winter approaches.

Went down to Greenwich again this weekend to work on the new computer. The day was cold, but glorious and we decided to pick up a pizza and head for Todd's Point one of the prettiest places around...at any time of year.

Most of the boats have been put away for their winter hibernation, and there are few leaves left on the trees.

...a lone seagull presides over a seascape of approaching winter.

November 12, - The Autumnal Weekends Continue

It's been a warm, beautiful fall...after a warm, beautiful summer. Went down to Dad's house in Greenwich where the leaf raking was in progress. Katie, the next door neighbor, came over for a visit.

There are still so many beautiful red and orange trees. This one is Colleen's favorite. It was given to her by friends as a tiny, little seedling.

November 5, - Remembering Mom. Five years deja.

Each year, on the first Saturday in November, we get together at Mom's grave to remember her with extraordinary fondness and love. It always seems to be a sparkling, perfect day with the flaming foliage of late Autumn and anticipation of the upcoming holidays setting the stage for our humble little celebration of Mom's life.

Our memorial is informal and casual as Mom would have liked. Dad began with some of his recollections...

Each year we all write and share poems or stories remembering Mom. Here's part of mine.

Halim, Nick and I...with a beautiful orange tree in the background. This is never a depressing, sad event but rather a lighhearted celebration of life.

Cat and June

Beth and Roger joined us for our memorial. Later we all had lunch at the Hilltop.

Colleen just says "no!" to paparazzi.

Halloween 2005 - It was a balmy and beautiful night, this 31st of October, and probably our best Halloween ever.

We have a Halloween party every year. Our friends come over to help us give out candy to the 1,000 + trick-or-treaters who come around. This year, instead of the traditional black and orange, ghosts and goblins decor we did something different...Arabian Nights! So...I got to be a belly dancer and Nick got to be a sultan. How great is that? I've gotta say...it rocked!

It always starts out slowly at about 6:00...

...and quickly builds up to a steady stream of ghosts and goblins...and pimps and ho's and cross-dresser... that lasts for several hours. This year Jose (in Mexican hat) helped us hand out candy and took care of crowd control. He did a stellar job.

Too cute for words.

Our front porch is a destination for over 1,000 trick-or-treaters.

The sultan holding court, in his lavishly decorated...um...palace.

The Hortons come to our Halloween party every year...we always have fun with them.

Behold the great Sultan...and part of his harem.

Jiggy, Meridith and Lor soak up the Arabian Nights ambience.

Pat, Cat and Ron - Hip-hop belly dancers.

Samira and Elie joined us for a little while...I think they were quite impressed with our costumes.

Lori gets down!

Here's the sultan again with a couple of members of his adoring harem.

The host and hostess with the most-est...that's us.