Monday, January 09, 2006

I Survived

The Christmas season! Thank goodness it's over. I think I wrapped the last present Christmas Eve at about 6:00p.m. I was so happy to have been able to share the season with my family in California. Lisa was a gracious hostess and I loved sharing with her family. We had a wonderful family gathering and I was able to see most of my family. My sister and her family and children and grandchildren were there, my brother and sister-in-law and I saw four of my grandchildren. The food was great and Lisa outdid herself with a great spread.

Back in Georgia I had one week with Jerry to shop for Christmas. In fact I didn't decorate the tree until one week before Christmas! This is so unlike me. Then I decided to buy a puppy!!!! It has been 9 months since my precious Gidget passed and I was feeling a little lonely and after leaving Lisa's house where she has two pets I really believed I was ready for another one! I bought a Toy Fox Terrier, pictures to come and he is so cute. However, I think I bit off more than I can chew with this little firecracker. I'll write more about him later. Jerry and I was off to my dad's home where he and mom hosted their annual Christmas Eve gala.

Food! Oh my goodness, the amount of food and the variety would be the devil's temptor to a dieter. We also played "White Elephant". This is the game my family calls "take away". The difference with this game is that people bring something from their house that they no longer have need for or want. I was left with a beautiful bowl and Jerry received a butter warmer. After the game each family or persons in a family did a skit. Jerry did his proverberal card tricks for the children and I just watched. Leo, my brother and his two sons played the bongo's and lebanese drums with narrative. It was quite funny. Mom and Dad did a skit that put me in stitches. Mom had on a wig and rolled her pants up and had on dads shoes. She was suppose to be a hillbilly and the skit was very cute. I must admit that these two get along very actively for 80 years young! After all was over, the families got there "to go" orders of food and we all left for our homes to spend the rest of the holiday with our family's.

Jerry and I always go crazy at Christmas and this season was no different. We start our power shopping the day after Thanksgiving. We go absolutely crazy! But this year we had a span of time where Jerry was in Oregon and he wouldn't be back to Geogia until the week of Christmas. But when he got here we shopped right up until the Eve. The night before Christmas Jerry puts out 2 garbage bags at each end of the sofa in the living room. We each put out the stockings and our Christmas cards to each other. Jerry makes my coffee the night before so all I have to do is push the button . We usually arise about 7:00 a.m. on Christmas and Jerry pushes the button on the coffee maker and I get his OJ. He lights the fireplace and we proceed to stragically open first our cards then our stockings. As you in my family know, Harriet usually gets the attention early with her 6 foot stocking! Jerry says Christmas morning is not the same unless Harriet has her stocking. He gets such joy in watching. I open some gifts and Jerry opens some gifts then we have breakfast. I receive phone calls from my family and then we open more gifts and then we go to a movie as we do every year on Christmas day. Then on the day after Christmas we power "return". I take advantage of the sales and start Christmas shopping for the next year. I am tired but I just love the season. Thank you Lord for your gifts!!!!!

Blessings,