It was sister’s idea to get a house in Ojai for Christmas, and it was perfect. The weather was fantastic, the house was amazing, downtown Ojai was adorable … and then I got food poisoning. And then Jeff got food poisoning. And we both ended up in different Southern California emergency rooms. We think it was one of the two restaurants we visited pre-Ojai, but who knows! The worst part about having food poisoning at Christmas is that I did not feel like eating Mumsey’s glorious cooking. I need a do-over! I feel like Christmas never happened! I need to eat more empanadas and more ginger snaps. I didn’t even taste all the different pie varieties. Sigh. Anyway, these photos are of the pre-illness bliss.
Golden hour on one of the home’s patios, getting ready to settle in and read a book I’d been saving for Christmas break.
Our hostess had a live tree and a box of decorations ready for us, so Nene and I decorated the tree while Steven and Jeff mastered the 50-something inch TV. The house also has a hot tub on a closed-in porch off the bedrooms.
First breakfast! Biscuits, gravy, tofu scramble, citrus, and vegan pumpkin muffins.
Empanadas. Always there when you need them.
Such.Good.Cookies.
Our digestion walk along the Sulphur Mountain ridge. You can see all the way to the ocean.
Downton Ojai. This Mustang was kind enough to drive into the frame just as I took the photo.
The post office.
Looking down the middle of the arcade.