Holiday Season

I don't care what the calendar said, yesterday was Christmas at my house.  Deb and Craig arrived and they came bearing gifts.  Yes, Santa has helpers.  Seeing the Kids was the best present, but then they started unloading their truck.  Good grief!  There were Meyer lemons from their tree and treat after treat from Costco, including a big bag of pistachios (I'm addicted).  I'm set for cold weather with a bright-red plaid flannel jacket with fleece lining; how luxurious is that?  In keeping with the out-of-season holiday, there was even a bottle of boozy eggnog!  I immediately turned on some appropriate music to help the spirit.  They also brought KFC, which they said they only have when they come up here, and the same goes for me.  I never want to take the time to stop to eat anywhere on a trip to town; I just want to get home.  Gosh, everything tasted so good, and I'm sure the company had a big part in that.

And then...and then came the biggie, a new, high-end vacuum cleaner!!  The last one I'd bought was still standing in the living room, abandoned due to my frustration with its inefficiency.  Craig put the new one together (he'd heard about my two-day episode with the old one) and we gave it a trial run.  As Willie Nelson would say, it could suck the chrome off a trailer hitch!  It is cordless, how do they do that?, so I'll be saved having to plug and unplug when going from room to room.  If I saw the Kids any oftener, I'd have told them to enjoy themselves while I finished cleaning.  Who knew vacuuming could be fun?  NASCAR or no NASCAR, I know what I'll be doing today.

Craig traditionally takes a nap when they come up, and Deb and I played catch up.  That in itself is a gift.  Later, we all went out so I could introduce the Delawares, especially since they're now living in the Taj that Craig built.  The door that Clay cut is, as he knew it would be, fine as a makeshift cover, and Craig immediately started planning how he'd make permanent doors.  That will be great if and when we get rainy weather.

The deer are in rut now and oblivious to traffic, so it was important for the Kids to get out of the hills before dark, but it was hard to say goodbye, even with "Love You" echoing down the drive.  I put the critters to bed and went in the house to relive a truly great day.

Some while later the phone rang.  It was Deb saying they'd be back shortly as she'd left her wallet on the table.  Those poor Kids, it's a long enough trip as it is, and having to double back just made it longer.  Sure enough, they'd seen a number of deer roaming around on the roads, including three bucks, one in my yard.  It did give me another chance to say thank you and "Love you!"  Christmas doesn't get any better.