Monday, November 25, 2013

How Santa Gets Lift-Off

I took a walk and did some shopping this afternoon. I bought four toy mice for the cats. (Dudo is currently working his way through the first one.)

While shopping, I perused the Christmas aisles. I always thought Santa's reindeer provided the power for the flight around the world. It turns out that Santa himself is responsible. Apparently, he's filled with gas. I sure am glad he never let loose while I was on his lap.

IT MUST BE A PAINFULLY UNCOMFORTABLE FLIGHT.
(I WONDER HOW THEY FIT HIM IN THAT BOX.)
SAN GERALDO AS SANTA AT YALE UNIVERSITY IN THE LATE '80s.
SAN GERALDO AS SANTA AT BERKELEY, 1999.
(AS FAR AS I KNOW, HE WASN'T GAS-FILLED AT THE TIME.)

Well, sorry, I've got to run. Dudo just brought me the unraveling mouse and he's commanding me to play fetch. I'm so well trained.



26 comments:

  1. LOL! My friend's cat has me well trained, too. I recognized San Geraldo, in the first Santa and you picture, because of his eyes. So great to have your own Santa AND Saint! Love and best wishes to both of you this holiday season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jo:
      Funny you should comment on the eyes. That evening, our friends' 4-year-old daughter came to sit on Santa's lap. She walked up the stairs of the library, took one look from way across the huge space and said, "That's not Santa. That's Jerry." Her mother said (very smartly), "You're right! Jerry is one of Santa's helpers. But how did you know it was Jerry?" The 4-year-old said, "His eyes."

      Delete
  2. Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Haaa :) Dudo's flipping tail is cutesy-patootsy, as are you and Santa :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judeet:
      I loved when I downloaded the photo and saw that tail in motion. I captured a perfect video of Dudo playing with, chasing, and fetching (and returning) the mouse. Unfortunately, I forgot to press the video button!

      Delete
  3. LOLOL! HOHOHO!
    And what do YOU want for Christmas, little boy?
    Must be catnip in that toy...look at that tail!

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    Replies
    1. Jim:
      Just a plastic "body" wrapped in nylon cord. I gave the cats two of the four mice yesterday. They're both now long trailing cords attached at one end to the plastic. I woke up this morning to a bright-eyed Dudo with both mice on my bed.

      Delete
  4. Gaseous Santa, he's everywhere, he's everywhere!
    Seems like San Geraldo is following you.
    Dudo is so cute ~~ poor little mousey!

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    1. Ron:
      If San Geraldo didn't follow me, I'd follow him! Dudo is rough on the mice, but Moose really aggressively pulls them apart... and sinks his teeth into their bodies!

      Delete
  5. Santa apparently prefers the bigger boys, eh?

    And Dudo's face?
    I'm dyin' ovah heah!

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    Replies
    1. Bob:
      Very glad for my own Santa's preference. As for Dudo, he is right now sitting on the floor beside... mewing... with the remnants of a mouse at his feet.

      Delete
  6. One way to get cute bois to sit on your lap, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I didn't know you and San Geraldo had known each other for such a long time! Love those photos. And sweet Dudo!

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    Replies
    1. Knatolee:
      August was 32 years together.

      Dudo loves new toys.

      Delete
  8. I love the photos of you two sweet guys being all Christmassy. I also got a bang out of Dudo's expression with his tattered mouse!

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    Replies
    1. Ms. Sparrow:
      San Geraldo loved to be Santa. He started it as a charity fund-raiser at work. You paid $1 for a photo on Santa's lap. The money then went to a local charity. I would have paid a lot more than a $1... and still would.

      You should see that tattered mouse today. More photos to come (since the minute I sat down here, he brought it back in).

      Delete
  9. San Geraldo is not going to get many more Santa gigs with his recent weight loss. Of course there's always padding.

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    1. Stephen:
      Those were really good Santa outfits with really good padding. Those pictures were taken when the only thing larger than life about San Geraldo was his personality. However, there's not so much call for Santa's here in Spain. And there's no padding needed to be one of the Three Kings.

      Delete
  10. Poor Santa
    Perhaps this year rather than putting out milk and cookies I will put out some Pepto Bismal.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spo:
      I didn't even mind that the hyphen was omitted. Gas-filled Santa... Pepto Bismol and digestive biscuits.

      Delete
  11. Love the Santa pics, however I think it is time for an updated one!

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    Replies
    1. Cheapchick:
      Here in Southern Spain, I've only see one of the Three Kings outside departments stores. No Santas. Maybe this year he can be Gaspar, Baltasar, or Melchor.

      Delete
  12. Oh, where has 'the age of innocence' gone? Santas seem so creepy nowadays - and how many parents would now actively WANT their child to sit on Santa's knee? And just look at S.G.'s hand on your knee! Case proven! At least Dudo, despite those rascally, has an air of innocence about him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Raybeard:
      Oh, sitting on Santa's knee is still a big photo opportunity. I do it every chance I get. Dudo's facial expressions melt my heart... and he knows it.

      Delete
  13. These pics sure brings back those trips to the store with my father where I was forced into sitting on Santa's lap, even if I didn't believe in Santa... Got the pictures to prove it.
    I did go as an adult on a couple of occasions, just for fun, with some colleagues back when I was working at Eaton's, a major Canadian retail store.
    These inflatables don't do so well here in Canada.
    I often see them laying in the snow, looking sad...
    :D~
    HUGZ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TICKLEBEAR:
      That photo of me at Yale was the first time I ever sat on Santa's lap. I was in my 30s... and I kind of liked it.

      Ooh, the air in winter must be unpleasant for Christmas in Canada; all those Santa's expelling all that gas.

      Delete

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