Day Three Hundred Fifty 2011

HAPPY 33RD BIRTHDAY, HOLLY!




Daughter Holly celebrated her 33rd birthday today. We enjoyed Thai food at Ocha Deli for her birthday dinner. Her birthday cake was her traditional favorite, a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake—chocolate chip ice cream with chocolate cake. She received lots of cool presents and cards. Can’t believe our almost-Christmas baby is 33. Happy Birthday, Holly! You are one of my sweetest blessings. I love you more than you can ever know.

Day Three Hundred Forty Nine 2011

The Christmas tree finally got decorated last night. Our brief flirtation with LED Christmas lights ended in a parting of the ways. Back to the store they go and good riddance. Talk about a dim bulb! I’d rather be merry and bright. It is Christmas time after all. Today, my grandpeeps Shelby and Elijah donned their reindeer antlers for me and posed for a picture in front of the tree. Elijah helped me unpack the nutcrackers. He loves those things and got them all set up.  Neil and I are beginning to check off items on the wish lists. So it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Day Three Hundred Forty Eight 2011

"Everyday is a cause for celebration." Anonymous
(Today was a day to celebrate the December sunshine and 70 degree temperature!)

Day Three Hundred Forty Seven 2011

Neil and I cut our Christmas tree today at the tree farm. Neil did the actual cutting. I stood there and watched. It’s an eight, maybe nine foot white pine, not too fat, not too skinny. We bought some new big white LED lights for the tree this year. I’m not a big fan of LED lights, but we thought we’d shake things up a bit. The tree now stands in our living room, waiting to be adorned. Neil is the official stringer of lights. He’d rather be doing anything else, like sticking sharp objects into his eyeballs, so stay tuned. This could take a while.

Day Three Hundred Forty Six 2011

What happened to the forecast of sunshine today? It’s been overcast and cold all day, and then the rains came down after lunch time. The Cookeville Christmas parade—twice rescheduled because of rain the past two Mondays—will go on as planned for this evening in spite of the soggy conditions. It’s now or never. We’re running out of Mondays between now and Christmas. (And please don’t ask me why the town can’t have the parade on any other day of the week…..)