Nobody Minds

You know you've reached a certain milestone in life when you start getting hand-me-downs from your Kids.  Pete had forewarned me that he had upgraded his TV and he'd like to give me his "old" one.  He made it clear that this was not a Christmas present, but he didn't need two.  I don't know what he's upgraded to, something the size of IMax, I imagine.  All festivities were put on hold while this huge television was installed.  There was a slight hitch getting the remote to talk nicely to the new equipment.  There were lots of suggestions from the sidelines, but it took Deb to pull out the instructions to fix the problem.  (I actually have a magnet on my fridge that says, "When in doubt, read the directions.")  At any rate, when the switch had been made, everyone in the room could watch the Vikings wipe out the Packers (see above) on the big screen.  Football trumps poker when the Vikes or the Steelers are playing.

I had brought another couple of wagons of wood to the house and had Stove cranked up.  Craig, Deb, and Dave's lady, Lorraine, went out without asking and stocked the porch rack to the top.  That will keep Stove happy until well after the New Year.

Another milestone gets hit when your Kids don't mind you anymore.  The five-dollar limit seems to have gone out the window because everyone went overboard on gifts.  Bags and boxes piled up and there was a veritable snowstorm of tissue paper.  They are as generous to each other as they are to me.  There were edibles and toys, and practical and impractical presents.  Need I say there were a number of additions to my collection of pigabilia?  Honorable mention goes to Dave for another knit piglet that I got to enjoy for just a little while.  Celeste had been in self-imposed exile while the house was crowded.  After everyone had gone, she came out of hiding.  I don't know where she found it, but she has claimed the pink piglet as her own.  You'd have thought it was filled with catnip as she tossed, rolled, and purred to this baby, and posed for this portrait.

Deb had crocheted her fingers to the bone.  She made large, beautiful afghans of the softest, most luxurious yarn for everyone.  No one could appreciate the work that went into these treasures more than I.

Then came a round of TV switch-outs.  The old living room set went into my bedroom and the bedroom set went into the guest room.  Clay was kind enough to take the ancient behemoth from the guest room to recycle.  It's hard to believe that I can now read the guide in the bedroom after I get in bed.

It was a great day spent with my most favorite people in the world.  I can't even mind that they don't mind me anymore.