31 Days of Christmas, Oh Yah! Part 2

Day 6


 Wednesday, Dec 6, dawned bright with sunshine. (I think, because I wasn't awake yet.) 




 It did come with gusty blasts of wind that

continued throughout the day.  It was difficult to watch the blue sky from inside the house, but I didn't want to risk going outside and getting cold air on my face.
       I am feeling better, though still not completely well.  With the relief of steaming sessions my breathing is easier, and a few stretches felt really good.
       I sent out out Mom's Christmas list to my kids.  It is quite short this year.   




Reflections of Christmas Past...
      One of my favorite gifts about age ten from my Aunt Emma and Uncle Jack was a pair of white, leather, figure ice skates with shining silver blades!  The local rink was only a few blocks away.  The warming house was an old cabin-like structure with wooden floors emptying out onto the rink.  There I spent many hours over the years.
     The skates were a treasured possession well into my married years.  
      They also turned me into a school truant in 6th grade.  I had returned to Indianapolis for the second half of school.  It didn't freeze much there.  One school day we woke up to the back alley froze over from puddles that had formed the day before.   There was no adult supervision, SO... I decided the allure of ice, even bumpy, was more appealing than school.  I remember great fun and satisfaction for a few hours before the ice got slushy.  I don't recall any "correctional" consequences from missing school. 
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  Day 7     
       
 Today, Thursday, we had our Red Hat's Christmas lunch at the skill center.
The skill center is part of the high school program which students attend along with regular classes to learn culinary, cosmetic and pre law skills. 

The students prepare and serve the meal. We had salad, turkey with all the fixings and a cream puff swan.  Yummy.  (They were a bit skimpy on gravy.) 

    

Good looking Red Hat Mamas!!     Gram G did alright with a gift of chocolates!!
       Today was another beautiful, mild sunny day.  I was out a bit, though still not fully well. 

Reflections of Christmas Past...
     Santa would come on Christmas Eve.  After we opened our gifts everyone would check them out and then we would play the newest game of the season.  The kids could stay up as long as they wanted.  Lou and I would be asleep long before they were even thinking about sleep.  
    I recall only one Christmas when Santa came in the morning.  It was a time of very severe below zero weather.  Lou manned the local power plant.  He was called into to observe the machines the night of Christmas Eve.  We had to wait for dad to be around before Santa could come.  I'm sure we were all home wrapped in heavy quilts since our house was drafty old and we heated with wood.
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Day 8

Friday, Dec. 8, was another sunny, though chilly day. Late morning, I drove over to the Miller family, a 20 minute ride from me.   There is a stretch of road that is one of my favorite reasons why I love living in the Pacific Northwest. 




Great granddaughter, Rosie, and her dad were there for a couple days.  She likes to experience all life has to offer...even Bentley's cozy bed!







Reflections of Christmas Past...
    One year Debbie, (who now lives out here) wanted a hamster from Santa.  She was probably around 10.  Santa's helpers bought one from the pet store across the street.  Lou's sheet metal shop right in our yard was a great place to hide it.  It happened somehow that it got our of the cage. The shop was heated by wood and there was a large supply in a corner.  We knew it was in there somewhere.  Lou did catch it.  Next day he was on the phone with a co-worker from the power plant, telling him how this hamper got loose in the shop.  All the while he was telling the tale of the hamper he felt like something was amiss.  His co-worker finally questioned how a hamper got loose in the shop.  Then he realized it was a HAMSTER, not a hamper.  
     I wish this story had a happy ever after ending, but it did not.  A short time after Deb got the hamster she decided it needed a bath.  The little thing looked even more tiny all wet.  It went to hamster heaven by the next day.  Guess hamsters are not meant for the hamper.  
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Day 9...   
    Saturday, Dec. 9, was sunny, but very chilly for out here...even had some frost on the windshield.
      Today was our senior Encore Christmas brunch and "white elephant" gift exchange at church.  

The group leaders had cotton snowballs to throw around.  A few were yellow.  Shouldn't eat those.
I was blessed with getting a gift of a new Fire 7 tablet.  Now I need to learn all about it! 

My exchange gift was a Civil War memory game donated by the Millers.  We thought it was appropriate for a senior gathering.  The husky fellow who got it, along with a tea set for his wife, was gracious, declaring he likes history!!

  


Reflections of Christmas Past...
Because not all Christmas experiences are happy....
My mom passed away on Christmas Eve several years ago.  I was in northern Wisconsin and she in Indianapolis.  Arrangements were quickly made for me to travel with the town parish priest who was driving through Indianapolis.  The day after Christmas, the 26th, (also my dad's Birthday) my son, Burt who was a sophomore, and I were on our way there.  It really wasn't completely sad since Mom had laid in a nursing facility for many years, unable to communicate because of a stroke.  It actually was a Christmas gift that she was released and able to spend Christmas in heaven, healthy and young!  
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Day 10
  Sunday, Dec. 10 was again sunny, yet frosty.  I attended church service. On the drive home I got a Kentucky Fried chicken dinner from our newly remodeled restaurant close to my home. Yummy!
  Part of the afternoon was spent watching TV, blogging and deciding what to do next.  I took down the fall decorations on the porch since the weather was almost mild. (I am still cautious about being out in the cold since I just finished the antibiotic and not sure how robust I am.)
  However, here is part two of Saturday's Christmas adventures. 

   Frank and Carole,(fellow "in-laws) picked me up for the Singing Christmas Tree at one of the local churches.  I had never been to one.  It was a traditional evening with hot cider and cookies, carolers, a never melting Frosty, bell melodies, many songs, the Christmas story acted out....

And a large "tree" enveloping several singers!!

It was a satisfying evening of familiar traditions.









Reflections of Christmas Past....
    Probably about 8 years ago I enjoyed Christmas in San Diego with my son Gerry and his family.  They took me up near Los Angeles to a living Nativity scene with live animals. The evening was foggy and a bit chilly,  It was fun to walk through the full sized stable and view sheep and exotic, eastern animals.  

This has been a good 5 days of Christmas in the life of Grandma G.

"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.  He will be great and be called the Son of the Most High'."  (Luke 1: 30-32)