November - December with the Girlies
November and December were good fun - we spent Thanksgiving in New York, which means that we got to see a giant Underdog float down Central Park West, and this year we had the extra treat of having our friend Chris (**LAST NAME REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE NEW ZEALAND SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE**) and his lovely '
female companion' Emma came over from London to spend a traditional American Thanksgiving with us. Chris is from New Zealand and Emma is a Brit, so they celebrate Thanksgiving on July 1st (Canada Day), but they were quite eager to see the Phineas J. Whoopie float and enjoy some home cooked (from Balducci's) turkey, stuffing, and potatoes.
In December, among other things, we decorated a tree and visited Santa Claus at Bloomingdale's, which was so cute that it made me kind of weep a bit. Below are some photos and delightful videos:
female companion' Emma came over from London to spend a traditional American Thanksgiving with us. Chris is from New Zealand and Emma is a Brit, so they celebrate Thanksgiving on July 1st (Canada Day), but they were quite eager to see the Phineas J. Whoopie float and enjoy some home cooked (from Balducci's) turkey, stuffing, and potatoes.In December, among other things, we decorated a tree and visited Santa Claus at Bloomingdale's, which was so cute that it made me kind of weep a bit. Below are some photos and delightful videos:
The girlies standing in front of the Polar Bear Zone at the Central Park Zoo - the Polar Bears are named 'Gus' and 'Ida', which sound like an old German couple who enjoy bowling and Sauerbraten. Hey, do you know what there are more of now than there ever has been in the entire history of the world? Polar Bears. Take that, hippies!The girlies riding on the Merry-Go-Round
The girlies swinging while Kim throws objects at them
Amelia at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 
Amelia just saw the 'Simon Bar Sinister' float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeSally at the Thanksgiving Parade with Kermit the Frog
The girlies are cooler than Jack Nicholson (and Belzer) - I once accidentally insulted Belzer for wearing sunglasses at the Law and Order: SVU premiere party in our building. A few months later I saw him on the street, and he looked right at me and said 'Hey, how are you?' like he recognized but couldn't figure out from where. 
Our Kiwi friend Chris (**LAST NAME REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT) and the lovely Emma (and the equally lovely me) with the girlies at Bethesda Fountain. The Fountain was empty, as you can tell. Usually it contains 71% water, 6% leaves, and 23% dog urine.
Chris (**LAST NAME REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE BBC**) and Amelia getting ready to run around the fountain.Chris and Mike with the girlies in the fountain, with some doofus trying feverishly to prevent any sun from getting to the back of his neck. Plus, I am guessing he (erroneously) thinks it looks cool.
Emma and Amelia, enjoying some delicious tasting Cheerios. In England, Cheerio usually means 'Goodbye', so in order to avoid confusion they call Cheerios 'Fester Pudding'. Raisin Bran is known as 'Whack-a-Doodle Johnson', and the traditional favorite for afternoon tea is 'Tonsil and Toast'. Those Brits sure know how to eat!
The girlies and Kim with our delightful friend Ina.
Sally with Maria's parents Nonna and Nonna (for those of you without neighbors from Italy, those words mean 'Grandma' and 'Grandpa' in German)
Sally is very excited to get her picture taken at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Sally and Amelia (and Amelia's crazy eyes) with Santa Claus
In their Christmas outfits - Sally is trying to give Amelia a kiss, but Amelia is using the very effective 'hand in front of the mouth" kiss-avoidance technique first developed in the 19th CenturyThe girlies donating to the Salvation Army. We are teaching the girlies that they need to help others and consider themselves fortunate for what they have, and to donate generously to charities. My favorite charity - the 'Sally and Amelia College Fund'. Now accepting generous contributions.
Amelia getting ready to put an ornament on the tree
Sally looking for the pickleA LONG video of us decorating the Christmas Tree - nothing much happens in this, so maybe you just want to move on to the next item of interest
Sally with my second cousin (or maybe my first cousin once-removed - I have no idea which one. My beloved mother has an encyclopedic knowledge regarding whether someone is a first cousin, or a second cousin, or a first cousin once-removed, or a third cousin forcibly removed against his will. She once spoke for over 2 1/2 hours about how cousin Orville was actually my second cousin, not my first cousin once-removed, and she only stopped because she noticed a smudge on the refrigerator - she probably could have continued for another half-hour or so). Anyway, the above photo is Sally with my second cousin, who has my exact name - my cousin Sam and his wife Johnna named him after me, because I have been such an inspiration to them and our entire family, so Sam and Johnna thought they should show their esteem for me by giving their son my name. I was honored, but really I am no hero. I am just an ordinary guy who does amazing things and makes the world a better place by improving the lives of others through my foundations and my philanthropic endeavors and my jazz dancing. If that makes me a hero, then hey, I plead guilty.
My nice Aunt Debbie (I have another Aunt Debbie in Texas, who loves to organize and get situated like my sister D;;lkjsad - the two Aunt Debbie's have a fierce rivalry and on the few occasions when they are together they have been known to engage in fisticuffs) with Sally at Christmas in St. Louis.Dancing Chicken
The girlies with their cousin Emma after the most depressing Christmas Eve service ever (Minister of the Lord: Sure, you have all lost your jobs, and the economy is crashing, and you almost certainly will be unable to feed your family when the snows come. And sure, the world is full of war and poverty and pestilence and evil and it is only getting worse. Sure, Barbara Streisand and Rosie O'Donnell are still alive, health care is unaffordable and unavailable to our society's most vulnerable, and global warming is cooling the planet. And fast food and sugary drinks are causing our young people to be overweight and have diabetes. Life as we know it is as bad as it has ever been, and it will be even worse tomorrow. Merry Christmas, Everybody!). But we had fun later at Scott's house, as Emma played 'Smoke on the Water' on the guitar.
Sally and Amelia brushing their teeth - as my friend Danger used to say, 'Don't brush all your teeth - just the ones you want to keep!'Exciting Teeth-Brushing Footage - Amelia's hair has no cavities
