A Southwest Christmas

The short version is that I spent Christmas with friends in Phoenix, and it was very nice -- a low-key, old-fashioned Christmas not all that unlike the ones of my childhood, give or take some inessential details like food and decorations. There were some memorable differences, though.

( How Green was my Desert )

( The Carrot-and-Carrot Approach )

( Luminarias )

I came back on the shuttle this afternoon, tired and content with my suitcase full of presents, stopped off in the office to wait for the next bus, and checked my friendlist. And saw fivemack's post about the Indonesian earthquake, which was the first news I'd seen since Friday. Back to grim reality with a bump. I have this unreasonable feeling that news isn't supposed to happen at this time of year ...