The Christmas Gift

My memory filter is mostly a positive one, and for that I am grateful.  It is especially positive when I look back on Christmas days.  Perhaps, that is part of the magic…

We remember the year I made the Christmas breakfast casserole with flavored creamer instead of milk, because I just could not take myself off to the store one more time, and breakfast was awful!  I set a new low for Christmas breakfast that year…

With just four of us at the farm on Christmas day, it was quieter than the norm.

My Loving Spouse made me a gift for my desk (The Realm) at work.  I plan to keep it far away from all the little hooligan’s hands.It was finally time to give Number Two Son a special gift from me and his Papa.  My Dad in winter could often be seen in his favorite hand knit sweater, bought on a trip to Ireland.  Mom had to add leather patches on the elbows where Dad had worn them through.  She also had to add a name label in the collar, so the sweater could be returned to Dad after the multiple times he left it at the golf course.  This picture could be called ‘Classic Joe’.Number Two Son has grown big enough and his Papa loved him so much…Number Two also stated he’d love some ‘tap shoes’ for Christmas, so My Loving Spouse made him a pair.We were quietly playing cards when our neighbor called.  He had his toys out, did we want to play?  We all quickly decided that the card game could wait, especially as some of us were loosing badly.  There is nothing better than a neighbor with fun toys who wants to share!

Most of us had never been on a snow mobile before.  It was a high-pitched squealing good time and my neighbor’s ears may still be ringing!Oh, my it was a little bit like flying over snow.  I now nod much more enthusiastically when My Loving Spouse repeats words he’s been saying for a few years….

‘We really need to find a snow mobile.  They are so much fun!’Two snow mobiles and a big open field, just mind you do not run into the cows.We piled into our neighbor’s house to thank them for such fun!

“We’ve never been on a snow mobile before!!!”

A Sister-in-law looked at us oddly and said,

‘Where did you come from?’ 

“Southern California…near the Rose Bowl”

‘Oh, that explains it…’  I believe she was thinking we might have landed from Mars.

We returned home, to be beaten by My Girl in our card game…invigorated, happy and blessed.