I don't know if St Nick's day is a Catholic thing, a Midwestern one, a Polish one, or just a bungalow belt Chicago tradition. I know that I have always loved it and thus we expose our young Tureks to it. It's an easy way to get into the Christmas spirit and an opportunity to receive a small gift; their participation is a slam dunk.

Last year Piper flopped on the floor and cried when she noticed foreign objects in her boots. This year she just held her bear and reared back apprehensively, eventually settling in a corner of the couch eyeballing the boot. After some breakfast she was ready to give the Little Mermaid items a try.



It all worked out just fine, but it's clear that fiddling with her shoes is some degree of deep violation.



I still do some software support for a BP north slope application, so we were able to join in on the BP night at the zoo. The dark zoo is filled with holiday lights, hot chocolate breaks, and lots of familiar faces ("I remember that guy from floor 3." "She was always in the elevator going higher than me."). It's easy to get spoiled when you mainly visit the zoo on nights when it's closed to public.