Season’s Greetings
Laughter was the first thing I heard when I woke up this morning, and it made me smile. The sound was coming from the living room of the Venice Beach cottage we’ve rented for a week. Judy was out there with our two sons, Daniel and David, and David’s friend Meredith.
Judy and I got here on Thursday, and a good thing, too. We had a pretty painless flight from Chicago to LAX. The other three came in last night, much the worse for wear.
It rained all day here yesterday, with especially heavy rain last night. This was good for drought stricken Los Angeles, but threw LAX (and the surrounding roadways) into chaos.
The kids’ flights came in two or three hours late, around midnight Midwest time. Between the delays and lengthy periods of air turbulence they were pretty frazzled when we picked them up.
All that is forgotten this morning, though. There are blue skies and a bright sun. Everyone woke up refreshed after a good night’s sleep. We are looking forward to a week of lolling, reading, cooking, eating, beach walking, and garden visiting. (Well, Judy and I are looking forward to visiting some gardens, we hope to bludgeon the kids into coming along.)
Despite what goes on in the larger world, our family has so much to be grateful for. I hope that yours can say the same. Season’s greetings to you.
gardeninacity 
Hooray for you, my friend!! I hope your holiday is amazing. 🙂
Seasons Greetings to you and yours!
Seasons Greetings to you all too. Safe travels as well.
Season’s Greetings to you too, Jason. Hope you see some fabulous gardens.
It sounds like the beginning of a wonderful holiday. Have a great time!
Thanks Jason! Hope you have a great vacation. Happy Holidays!
Sounds great. Best wishes for a Happy Holiday.
Enjoy! I’m looking forward to hearing (and seeing) what you find in your travels.
I think it is great that you all can get together during the holidays. Merriest of holidays…enjoy it all.
Thank you, and the same to you.
Have a great time!
Have a great Christmas with the family Jason. Season’s Greetings to you all as well!
One year my son got stuck at Ohare and never got here. Two years later he was iced in in Dallas. Now he will not come up here for Christmas. I’m thinking we should all go to Texas. If we could get out of Detroit. Have a great holiday with your family.
Your holiday vacation sounds so relaxing. Wishing you the very best!
Happy Christmas, Jason. Have a great time (despite rain).
Welcome to California! You’re just a stones throw from me in Santa Monica. Perfect timing with the weather now. Who said it never rains in Southern California! Have a wonderful stay in Venice. If you get a chance visit the Venice boardwalk. You’ll have fun there. Happy holidays!
Have a great time and visit the canals if you can fit it in.
We saw them on Monday – nice!
Great!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family
Enjoy your holiday with your family, & I absolutely agree we have a lot to be grateful for. We are with family in Sydney but so far the kids are not volunteering to visit gardens with us …they don’t know what they are missing!
Wo you guys really know how to do a holiday up right! That place looks a little large for just Andrew and I, but still…. I’d like to get the details from you. Have fun!
Lovely to spend Christmas relaxing with your family Jason. Enjoy your week.
Happy Holidays. We’ve been to Venice, but it has been many years. May you have a wonderful week with family and friends. 🙂
Enjoy the holidays with your family.
What a wonderful way to spend the holiday. Enjoy and may the feeling last well into the coming year.
Merry Christmas to all and best wishes for the coming year!! 🙂
Happy Christmas. Hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Have a wonderful time with your family!
Enjoy the warmth and your children! What a treat. And we expect some garden reports.
A serene little cottage and the kind of activities you have planned should go a long way to ease the stress 2016 brought into all our lives. Best to all of you!
Oh, how wonderful having the family together for a holiday. Ouch re the kids flight though, turbulence always terrifies me. Have a lovely time and calm flights home.xxx
You have a good time, Jason, I envy you looking at the snowy weather. All your family is around you, wonderful!
Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Jason. It must be strange having Christmas in such a warm place compared to the heaped snow you left behind.
Seasons Greetings to you too, Jason! Cold and wet here in Oregon at the moment, but each season has its own particular beauty, wherever one is. All the best to you and your family!
Happy Holidays to you, too, Jason! I’ve been taking a blogging break, but plan to get back into it soon. I hope you and your family enjoy a relaxing holiday vacation!
Looks and sounds like a wonderful holiday. You aren’t missing any wonderful weather back here.
Happy gardening in the New Year.