Merry Christmas

and all the other greetings of the season to all my fellow barefoot friends and the barefoot curious who stop by to read.

Based on what I received for Christmas -- something I've wanted for a long time and which can be seen to the right, -- it looks like I'll have something else to practice every day (besides barefoot running, Kung Fu, blogging, piano, voice, photography).  Perhaps I shall one day post videos of me playing the harp barefoot for you! (No, not with my toes, silly, with my hands, in some flowing white gown and my bare feet planted firmly on the floor.)

(edited to add:  In fact, now that I think about it and have tried plucking a few strings on this thing, I believe that some of what I learned in barefoot running and some of the patience I had to use is going to be needed in learning to play the harp.  I can feel that the tips of my fingers are tender, and that I will have to build up and develop them much in the same way I had to build and develop the soles of my feet.  That will require a definite strategy of not doing too much too soon (TMTS) .  In the beginning, probably only 5 minutes at a time. Perhaps I did need to become a barefoot runner first before getting my first harp.)

Last night I sang
"O Holy Night" at midnight mass.

I was wearing black velvet pants with a black velvet top, but when it came time to put on fancy shoes with heels, I just couldn't.

Now, because I have not had time to accumulate a wardrobe of shoes better designed for the health of my feet, I have only that pair of Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot Kali shoes which I've been wearing about everywhere.  I decided that, once again -- like every day -- those would be the shoes I would have to wear.

I didn't have any black socks washed, so I took a pair of black injinji socks and used them underneath.  They were so-o-o-o comfortable.  I was more comfortable singing than I ever had been before.

This shoe thing could pose a problem in future singing gigs -- or it couldn't, depending on how things go -- because sometimes when you sing you get all gussied up and have to stand in front and your shoes kind of complete the look, and it can make the difference between looking polished and authoritative.  I'm sure I'll be sometimes wondering what to put on my feet as I sing, and be on the lookout for barefoot-friendly formal shoe wear appropriate for singing.  But for my purposes last night, it all worked out great.

Christmas is a family time, and I would love to tell you about my family and share pictures of everything, but my family does not feel comfortable having me write about them on my blog and I respect that.  So, if the blog seems a bit narcissistic and focused only on me, well, it is -- but by special request.  You can assume that wonderful family things are happening on Christmas and all the time.  And I hope that wonderful family things are happening for all of you this holiday season.

I actually did think of going for a run today, but have decided not to because I'm tired from attending the big family Christmas Eve Feast, and then midnight mass.  So, we shall begin anew soon.  In the meantime -- Enjoy your holidays everyone.

(Oh, btw, below is what the harp looked like wrapped.  Did they really think I wasn't going to know what it was?)

Okay, okay, I'll show you some of the presents Daffodil got as well.  After all, she doesn't mind me writing about her on my blog.

She really loved the little santa doggie.  In fact, she played with it so much (it squeaks, btw) that we thought we wouldn't even have to give her the other presents and could save them until next year.

Soon enough, however, she was ready for her doggies lobster dinner, with baked potato, corn and broccoli.

After her Christmas dinner (bty, the lobster, the corn, the lemon, and the potato all squeaked), she was allowed to have some doggie cookies:

And, just one more Daffodil Christmas-y thing:  Every year we buy a new ornament for the tree that has some meaning about our life that year.  This year, we added a "Daffodil" ornament to the collection.