It's December!

Today is the first of December, and Linda is decorating the house for all she is worth! We got our tree out of its storage box in the garage, got it assembled, put the extra colored lights on it since Linda doesn't like just the white lights that came with it. Jason & Hannah are coming over tonight for supper (Sweet & sour chicken, Kung Pao pork, egg rolls) and then decorating the tree. We have many, many special decorations from trips, special occasions, etc so that decorating is always a trip down memory lane. We got four or five new decorations for the tree last month on our NYC trip. Besides the tree, Linda also puts out dozens of Christmas decorations of all sorts in the den, front hallway, living room, and front bathroom. She loves Christmas decorations! We have been collecting them for twenty-five years.

Linda has about finished all her shopping for presents, and we have wrapped almost all the gifts. (I guess I'll have to think about doing my shopping for her presents in another week or two.) By late tonight the tree will be all decorated with gifts piled high around it. Bring on Christmas! This year's Christmas holidays will be especially good since all the children (four plus three wives) and the grandchildren (five all together) will be here this year (which is a rarity!). Plus we have four dinner parties for friends scheduled. The holidays will be busy but quite fun.

I hope all of you have a great Christmas holiday season as well!

Holiday Cheer!

Harry

Getting Ready for Christmas

We are going great guns this year in getting ready for Christmas. We already have the artificial tree (that looks more lifelike than the real ones we bought previously; the thing even has fake pine cones on it!) all decorated and pretty. The outdoor lights are out and working well. All the presents are wrapped, and those that have to be mailed will be sent off this week.

The house is completely decorated with the several dozens of Christmas-themed items Linda sets out. She spends two days early each Christmas season storing our usual clutter and carefully placing the Santas, snowmen, reindeer, angels, candy trees, wreaths, stockings, etc., etc. around the house. Linda really loves the Christmas holiday season!

I've mailed my Christmas cards to my side of the family; Linda is just starting to write out her cards. Linda is now starting on the holiday cooking. Tomorrow she plans on making her fabulous fudge, white chocolate-covered prexels, and a cake. She'll be making cookies and candies for the next ten days.

She is totally finished her shopping for Christmas presents, finishing up this morning. I haven't started shopping for her yet. She buys for a couple of dozen people, and all I have to shop for is Linda. She's done, and all presents are wrapped. Time for me to start thinking about what to get her. She's hard, I mean HARD, to buy for. She doesn't wear any jewelry, not into clothes much, trying to not eat sweets ( = no chocolate covered cherries or candy Millionaires wanted). Her only hint has been she needs a new toaster oven since the one she had before we married 23 years ago just quit heating. Boy, the guys who can just buy a piece of jewelry or a fancy purse for their wife are lucky! (I bought Linda a $175 fancy leather purse on year, and she beat me with it and returned it.)

Anyway, here it is the 9th of December, and we are well on our way to being finished with all the preparations and being ready for Christmas this year. Linda has her Christmas card list to finish and a week-plus of cooking to do, whereas I have to shop for her. Sounds 'bout right! Guess I"ll run by Home Depot tomorrow...

Oh yeah, don't forget that poetry books, like my Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man, make the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for relative or friend. Just thought I'd mention it.

Cheers, y'all!

Harry