Cold and California Chrome

The weather forecasters said our highest temperature yesterday would be during the hour after midnight - they were right.  My brother-in-law, Jim, didn't hear the weather report, and so he went on a ten-mile run with Tulo yesterday morning wearing his light-weight running shorts, a T-shirt and his baseball cap.  The temperature dropped 25 degrees while they were out.  Luckily, Jim had extra plastic newspaper bags to pick up dog poop in - he was able to pull them on his hands and have a little protection from the cold.  We had snow flurries throughout the late afternoon and through this morning, but nothing accumulated.   Kathy came over last night, and we watched How To Train Your Dragon while she did laundry.  She loved the film, which made me happy.
   California Chrome, after finishing third (by a neck) in the Breeders Cup Classic, tried out his racing luck, and turn of hoof, on the turf Saturday.  The Hollywood Derby has been moved to Del Mar, and has been shortened to 1 and 1/8 miles.  California Chrome won it easily, and looks to have a continuing career in grass racing...  He has now won the Santa Anita Derby, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Hollywood Derby.  That's four Grade 1 wins on two different surfaces.  I think he's making a case to be 3-year-old, and, perhaps, Horse of the Year.
   I've finished all but one thing for my Christmas shopping - have to head out to the used book stores for that one.  And I'm truly hoping not to receive Christmas gifts from anyone this year - I have so much more than I need of everything (except time and money), so I think I'm ahead of the game as it is.  All I want for Christmas is the safety and well being of my friends and family...  Kathy wants to put off beginning chemo-therapy until Boxing Day, but it's up to her Docs more than her.  I just want her to be well.
   Unless someone makes an unplanned trip, it looks like I'll be home until almost the end of December.  I have one house for 11 days where I visit three times a day, starting December 16; then I add Tugger on the 21st. On the 27th I pick up Maggie May, and move into Lynn Thore's on the 28th...  I believe that Rosie's folks are staying home for Christmas, but will be going away the first week of January...  We'll see.