I like the way that the sun, through the trees, makes them look lacelike.
Mike was running a little late this morning, so we just waited patiently in the staging area (the green room?). At start time, Ella went to the set and started the setup. Very shortly, Mike came and escorted Santa down to the set. He then hooked up the camera and got it adjusted for the first photos.
This week Ella and I have fairly short hours. The week following Thanksgiving is when our hours increase to 6, 7, 8, or more.
Superman in his Clark Kent disuse. That’s what I feel like as I walk through the mall in the morning and on the way home.
Butter. That’s what we needed. Tonight. It couldn’t wait until we pick up our months supply of groceries and sundries tomorrow. Tomorrow they will bring our order to us and we won’t have to do shopping cart jousting in the store aisles.
But Ella had to have butter tonight to make peach cobbler. I choose to remain in the truck. Ella is smaller and could navigate the overcrowded storescape better than I. The cobbler looks good enough to eat.
I made a deep-dish apple pie tonight. It was done in memory of my mother’s apple pie. It has cheddar cheese baked into it. I even lightly sprinkled the top with shredded cheddar, sugar, and cinnamon. Apples and cheese go together amazingly well.
Santa had the pleasure of several visits with folks on the autism spectrum today. These are Santa’s special joys. One of my first large scale events was as Santa at a Make-A-Wish charity fundraiser during a huge drive through Christmas light display. During the event, in addition to all the families and children who came to visit Santa, there were busloads of special needs folks who also came. Sharing the joy of Christmas with people, who have a delight that fills every fiber of their being, is so very special to me. And yes there are heart aches also. These also make the event precious to Santa.
There were two brothers and a younger sister who came to see Santa today. The bouts were excited but the sister was clinging like a leech to her mother. After some failed attempts, the girl was finally convinced to sit with a brother between her and Santa. She finally gave a half hearted smile for the camera. When asked what she wanted for Christmas she wouldn’t speak. As they were leaving the chair, both boys hugged Santa and to my surprise, so did the sister.
Tom and Ella Journal 