There was a left, and a right, then another left and another right … or maybe it was a right and a left, followed by another right and left … or perhaps there were consecutive lefts or rights in there somewhere.
But after all the lefts and rights, and passing through what looked like a staff lounge — the whole building had a 1970s elementary school vibe to it — we arrived at our destination.
Snow Village.
The newest addition to Suzi’s Wonderful Christmas was the Festival of Trees at The Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley. While the lights were fine and the decorated trees both fun and creative, it was Snow Village and its model trains that stole the show.
It was packed with houses and lights, skaters and a port. The train wasn’t working on one side of the display, as it was stuck in a curve, slightly off the rails. I doubt if it was intentional, but kudos to the detail in providing the authentic MBTA experience.
There was a miniature Fenway Park. I don’t like the Red Sox, but I love baseball, and I respect the effort.
A gondola shuttled between mountains, and even though we never took it while we were there — it would have been closed for the night by the one time we would have done it — it made us think of Switzerland.
But the coolest part of all is that everyone — young, old and in between — thought it was really cool.
With some time to kill before our dinner reservation, we went to the bookstore in downtown Wellesley.
I had forgotten completely, but Suzi reminded me that we had last been there two years ago, not for dinner or the bookstore, but because she had heard they put up Christmas lights around downtown and it might be fun to walk around.
Because this was December of 2020, when the earliest version of what is now Suzi’s Wonderful Christmas — we’re in the third year, so now it’s officially “annual”! — was part celebrating the season, part release from nine months of COVID life.
It was a time, cold weather or not, when any opportunity to do something outside was to jumped on with both feet.
I’ve said it a million times, and I’m sure I’ll say it a million more — someday, when this is all well behind us, those of us who made it through the other side will look back on how we all got through that first year and shake our heads with astonishment.
Since we last got together …
We may never be famous or celebrated in our fields, but we can always do good for others.
And then there’s this. Isabel’s ex … kinda sucks.
Not being Canadian, I don’t know everything about this issue, but what Kristin writes about the need to support people with mental health issues is something we all should be able to understand (regardless of how you feel about assisted suicide).
Bruce’s latest is for the birds. Hold on … excuse me … it’s about the birds.
Pea Green’s older son is 11.
Renata is so friendly. <<“How friendly is she?!”>> So friendly that if we ever wound up at a holiday dinner together, she’d let me have all the white meat turkey and the stuffing. Sure, it’s because she doesn’t like them, but still … .
Music brings back memories for Kristian.
Becky has her favorite ways of staying cozy.
Bella will have you looking for flights to South Bohemia.
Betsy went back to jiu-jitsu class.
This account has some awesome photos of abandoned buildings.
The scariest part of this is that I instinctively read it in Stone Phillips’ voice. (“Let the gravitas begin” … one of the truly great moments in television history.)
OK, I guess, but I would hope we could find common ground on something before resorting to this.
Excellent advice that I am spectacularly terrible at taking.
I think I’m generally a nice guy, and I’d say it usually comes fairly naturally, although sometimes the little angel on my left shoulder has to have words with the devil on the right one. What I wonder is whether people who are jerks have to work at it, or if it comes naturally to them.
And if anyone disagrees, she could round up a blogger/Twitter posse in about five seconds to set them straight if she chose to. And oh by the way, I don’t think her husband would look kindly on it, either. (She also was interviewed about her business.)
People have a way of ruining everything. I have a feeling Rosie might agree.
The funny thing about this is that depending on the state you’re in (including Massachusetts, where I live), the driver has to stop for you if you’re in a crosswalk. There’s no need to hurry. But you do it, anyway.
A Silly Place 
Thanks for sharing, Bill! I hope this holiday season brings you all of the stuffing and white meat you desire 🤣
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Merry Christmas to you and Suzi in advance! That Snow Village is so cute!
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