I looked out the front door this morning and I saw this large bug just sitting on the sidewalk sunning itself. I called to Verna to bring her camera. When she did, the bug patiently posed for her to take several shots, including this one (click to enlarge).

I did not know exactly what kind of a bug was sunning on our walkway (it was still there when we closed the front door). I went into the house and looked up ‘locust’ using an image search. I quickly found one that looked a lot like our bug and went to the website that had the picture. The bug was an adult migratory locust according to an Australian insect pest photo gallery.

This guy was a long way from Australia . . .

We went for a ride and a walk a few days ago by the lighthouse and everyone there thought I was cute and a happy dog. This is me waiting for the Daddy hoomin to get going again. I like to walk and sniff new stuff.

After the walk, the hoomins took me home and I got to eat some turkey. It was good. Then I took a nap.

Click the picture to make me big.

Our tradition every “Black Friday,” is to put up the Christmas Lights. After many trips up and down the extension ladder, this is the result. Click the image to enlarge.

Verna and I loaded Bear in the car the morning of Thanksgiving Day and headed over the hill to Point Vicente. We went because when I looked at the Catalina web cam (at the isthmus) on the Internet shortly after I woke up, I could see not only the mainland, but the mountains behind. That means there would be photo-op quality visibility from Point Vicente in the direction of Catalina Island.

We walked along the path in the Interpretive Center toward the Northwest where I took the images to merge into the panorama seen above. Click to the full-size panorama.

Sliced turkey breast, mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, carrots, dressing, cranberry jelly and Brussels sprouts braised in pancetta. Everything but the jelly was homemade. Happy Thanksgiving!

I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.

For me, the days just before Thanksgiving Day are not only for preparing the menu and shopping for food, but to address and send out Christmas cards to our list of family and friends. So, in getting ready to mail the cards, today we went to the post office and bought the Christmas stamps to put on the envelopes.

This year, I decided on the colorful stamp set in the picture (courtesy USPS). The little figures that represent commonly seen Christmas icons are both cute and colorful.

Click on the image for a closer look.

I was getting pretty stinky, so today the hoomins took me to the bath place. I like going there ’cause they are all nice to me except for when they get me wet. I hate water on the outside but it’s good to drink. After that, they take the buzzy thing and clip off some fur. Then they tie this pink bib on me and I don’t know what for. Oh well, the hoomins are back and now we’re going home so I can take a nap. Click on me for big.