The Claudia Report

Dear James,

This is Claudia writing to you from "lynn's" computer. I refuse to call her mom because I am at least seventy years older than she is.

I would first like to thank you and bunny kitty for the wonderful doggy snack and come clean about something before "she" tells you about it.
First off, it wasn't my fault. When she opened your package she ooohed and aaahed before setting it down on a small, nose height table and jetting off to an egg nog party down the street. So what was I supposed to think? I saw the package with the gingerbread-dog cookie in it, I saw my name on it, and I smelled how good it would taste. She left, and I sprang as fast as my old hips would let me.
So I ate it, I ate the whole cookie including the plastic. It's christmas, I thought. Why not? I did leave the little red tag that said 'from Cosmo Bunny Kitty' intact and that's what ultimately got me in trouble.
I should have eaten that too.
When she got home (probably drunk) she started in on "Oh my god, how could you? That was for Christmas day!!"
How am I supposed to know when Christmas day is? She's been playing that damn Charlie Brown music for at least a month.
I THOUGHT IT WAS CHRISTMAS! So she's yelling at me about being a 'naughty piggy' and calling me "Little Chrissy" like that John Water's film with the girl who loves sugar? So anyway, I didn't mean it in a bad way, and I sure didn't mean to eat the whole thing in one sitting. I couldn't help myself, you know? So if she asks, tell her it was from you guys FOR ME and not for her perfect little idea of christmas. At least somebody got me a present!

So thank you very much for thinking of me at this special time of baby jesus' birthday. How's Austin? Say hello to Francois, and all the kitties: Emma, Sophie, Skank, and Cosmo bunny kitty for me. I love the holidays and the holidays love us! Just please tell 'her' to back off the Little Chrissy jokes, Ok?

merry christmas and happy new year!
love,
Claudia M. Klopfer

Snow Days

Winter is here!

In the days before the official 'Winter Solstice,' Running Springs recieves a hefty dose of snow.
"Just like the old days," was heard more than once around the post office, in the bank, and at Little Jensen's.
In the Bus Stop Coffee House people blew on hot drinks, watching the snow fall from inside fogged up windows.

Across the snowy valley, Mt. Baldy looks like Mt. Everest and visions of sugarplums are dancing through everyone's heads. It's amazing to think that just a few months ago we were so worried about the dry winds of autumn and now here we are shoveling bus loads of snow. For the first time since I can remember, the school district called school for 5 whole days, 5 WHOLE DAYS! before the official holiday break began.



The amazing part of a snow day is how it takes you down a notch, how it makes everyone pay a little more atttention to nature. Watching it snow may be the ultimate in meditative practices. To be still and not react to it, to just enjoy it for it's beauty, that's the trick of a snow day.