T'was the Week Before Christmas

And all through the town
Not a creature was resting
Not even a mouse

So, what were they doing? Lots of people were in the parking lots and stores, shopping for Christmas. What have we been doing? We have been done with Christmas shopping for weeks, except gifts for each other. We each took part of a day this week to do that.

We also went hiking at San Tan Regional Park with our friends Ron and Barbara. Barbara is a fellow blogger and each year when we are both here in Arizona, we get together for a hike and/or lunch. This year we did both, the hike followed by the lunch buffet at Pizza Hut. We walked, talked, laughed and shared and had a great time with them.



Today, we went to the Mesa Swap Meet. It's been cold, at least for Mesa, for the past couple of weeks. So there were lots of sweatshirts for sale.





And decorator items for winter homes and park models.





Southern Arizona is a mecca for snowbirds: read old retired folks. Look at all these sales booths.













What kind of free space?



We (I) only made one purchase--some beads. I have been learning how to bead, so I couldn't resist some new beads. But they aren't shown in this photo.



John comments that there certainly were a lot of well-behaved, patient grandchildren there. You go to Arizona to see your grandparents for Christmas, so where do they take you? The swap meet.



Not all the merchants feel good about the children.



But this booth had delightful dresses for really little girls.





Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, then Christmas Day we will open gifts from our children and grandchildren--and each other--then go to church, then join hundreds of our friends at the Valle del Oro Christmas Dinner.

Hope you are having a good week, too.