This year I gave my sister the book “The Wedding” for Christmas. I’ve read a few of Nicholas Sparks’ books, but they are not my favorites. I prefer not to read a story I know will end sadly, while my sister likes the depth of experiences the characters will endure.
She was almost half way through the book during their visit, and she turned to me Sunday morning and said, “Can you imagine being able to pull together thirty people for two days to prepare your lawn for a wedding?” I was stuck on the thought of having thirty people work on my grounds for two days without the excuse of a wedding!
I could tidy up the grove, clear out the dead branches from the willow and replant the grass. We could stack wood for the fireplace. I could have someone rip out the trees that are trying to grow in my evergreens! I could have a bank of azaleas planted, and three of the gardens redesigned. I could have lilacs and flowering almond, and hydrangeas planted. I could have an interlocking brick terrace laid at the west door to the house, and we could KILL OFF THE POISON IVY!!!!!
Wow…..what a fantasy.
Daily Archives: December 29, 2003
Christmas Eve
I believe that everyone has traditions at Christmas time. DH and I chose early on to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family. My siblings and their children, and now their children have gathered at my second sister’s home on Christmas eve to share a buffet style meal, and participate in a gift exchange. This year we met late in the afternoon because one of the children was going to be participating in an 11:00 service at his church.
One of my nieces has led a group of teenaged puppeteers at her church. I didn’t know what to expect before my first visit to see them perform, but I was awed at what they created. The complexity of the issues presented was astounding, and the staging was incredibly entertaining.
So, when I had the chance to see my nephew participate in one of these presentations, I asked DH to go with me. I’m so glad I did. We had a wonderful evening, and it added another layer of Christmas memories that make the quilt of our lives.
The Saver of the Tree
Traditionally, our Christmas tree goes up quite late in December. I attend to everything else that has to be done, and we get to the tree right before Christmas. There are several reasons. Dear Husband is allergic to the tree. I thought he was just allergic to touching it, but it seems he is also allergic to the scent. So, we put up a real tree, but we limit how long it’s up. I think it went up on the 21st of December this year, and I’ll take it down on January 3. That’s a long stay.
Normal??
Just what is normal? We have come through some wonderful Christmas days to a quiet pool of time before we celebrate the New Year. While my morning has been filled with washing dishes and sheets and trying to get the house back to some semblance of order, I can’t say this feels quite normal to me.