a christmas party

Tonight was our 23rd of December family Christmas party.

It did not disappoint. The usual characters, the usual noise, torn up wrapping paper, giddy kids were there. We had the usual shrimp and meatballs, cheesy potatoes, and salads by both Alicia and Jay, the little weenies and the gingerbread.


There was a bottle of pinot grigio tossed in a snowbank out the back door, along with a box of old time Grain Belt beer. Cookies were everywhere, including some very rich ones our friends sent, and a big bowl of puppy chow treats Dannell brought.

It was fun.


As the gifts were being passed out, t.c. crouched on on the floor near the end table and yelled, "GRAMMAW! There are still presents down in the office! Are we opening those presents too?"

I didn't get it. I said, "Were you in the office? What were you doing down there?" We have a second refrigerator there, and also the Santa gifts are piled all over. Yikes. This could get complicated. The lies could, I mean.

He yelled back, rosy cheeks and red wool sweater, "I can see them in the hole!"
Oh yes, the hole.

There was once a radiator in that spot on the floor during the years this house was a duplex. A hole was drilled in the floor for a pipe to that radiator. The radiator is long moved, but the hole, about the size of fifty cent piece, remains. It's about three feet from the front door, two feet off the stairway wall.

Usually the hole looks down onto Jay's desk, and the kids drop crap in there to distract him when he's working--Polly Pocket dolls, crayons, stuff like that bounce off the blotter. But if you get your nose down at a sharper angle, the pile of Santa gifts in front of the fax machine comes into view.

Oh gosh.

Leave it to t.c. to spot a pile of gift through a hole.

I love him so much I can hardly stand it sometimes. He's busy, barely notices me, but that's okay, love is like beams of sunshine. He can't avoid it.

Here's this guy. I tried and tried to get a pic of him with my new camera, but he's faster than technology. When he needed a rest we watched some Curious George videos on the computer until he melted like butter against my shoulder. Then he realized he was dozing and jumped up. Oh yeah. Don't be sleeping! It's Christmas!


Julia was so happy with her gifts she posed for a picture with each one. Oh gosh, to be six.


Now it's the end of the night and it's cold here next to the window and a guy is softly snoring, body and long arms draped most invitingly across my side of the bed.

Good night.

Onward to tomorrow. love, Val