Enough Already

I've been outside shoveling or snowblowing every day this week, at least once a day.  I say "enough already!"  I'm tired of having to bundle up and broom the snow off my car so I can move it out and clear the driveway.  When we got home from DS & DIL1's yesterday afternoon the plow had come through and I needed to snowblow our half of the street.  *sigh*  That did keep me from having a giant plow drift to deal with at the end of the driveway but clearing half of the road wasn't in my Christmas Day plans.  I went next door down the hill and helped MM clear their driveway of the plow drift so I figure I tempered my resentment with a good deed.  *whew*  I bought that wreath for a buck at Walmart on Christmas Eve, it's a little scraggly looking but it sure makes the house smell good.

The Christmas brunch at DS & DIL's was outstanding.  HZ had made one of those egg bake casserole dealies, DIL put together some cinnamon roll dough that she advised DS & JZ in the assembly, I made some olive & cheese bread, and there was bacon, fruit salad, and mimosas, also stollen and coffee cake, and a big tray of homemade cookies and candy on the table afterwards.  Waaaay too much rich food; I was kind of queasy the rest of the afternoon.  My brother, AJ, his wife and son stopped for a visit after brunch, it was great to spend a time with them.

DS and DIL1 were supposed to come over for supper and to exchange gifts but she was Christmas-ed out so we decided to do gifts later this week when she's a bit more rested.  Durwood and I roasted the turkey breast and I made cornbread stuffing, heated up some green bean casserole out of the freezer (meh, won't freeze that again), and he mashed a potato.  There was gravy.  After supper we exchanged gifts.  He loved the Muenster and Parmesan cheeses, flannel pants, microwave potato baking bag (as seen on TV!), and the denim shirts I gave him.  I loved the warm socks (I'm wearing a pair right now), the abacus row counter bracelet, and the little roll of cash (all ones, "so you'll have a WAD," he said) for yarn or fabric, but the present that made me roar with laughter was the note in a box.  (open that one last, he'd said)  The note says, "Some time ago I bought a present for you and of course I hid it in one of my fabulous hiding places.  It's still hiding.  You have a belated present coming as soon as I find it."  (lmao)  I'm looking forward to the gift, of course, but I adored getting the note in an empty box.  It was a great day.

December 26--Ansel Easton Adams, Winter Yosemite Valley.  The snow wasn't as deep in among the trees.  Jared was glad to be able to take nearly normal steps instead of sinking knee deep in the snow field.  He leaned against a bare-branched aspen wishing for a pine grove.  He knew pines would make a good shelter, he needed to make a wind break.  For a few hours he had felt his mind getting fuzzy, the cold and the wind were relentless and he knew if he stopped to rest he would never get up again.  He pushed himself upright and felt the wind shift to his left.  The scent of wood smoke rode the wind that came from the west.  That way was across the slope, not downhill which was the way to find shelter, the way out, but if there was someone out there, someone with a fire, maybe even a cabin, he wanted to find them and find them fast.

Hey, at least there was no blood.  I hope you had a merry Christmas and got to spend time with some people that you love.  Take the day off, I am, after I shovel.  *sigh*
--Barbara