Tuesday, December 29, 2020

NOT QUITE TIME TO MOVE ON

Well, we had a great Christmas, and it helps to pass the winter. People can do things like this if they want to. No use to let everything go because of hard times. -- Ina Dobson, January 1, 1933

I enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a time for quiet contemplation. I sit now in the darkness of the morning with the Christmas tree glowing in its corner. A new beginning is coming. I’m already making lists.

In real time, members of our family met at the farmhouse for a country Christmas. Yes, I know. Health authorities asked not to gather, but we did anyway. Milo, Clint, and Hallie and Nick were with us for lunch on Christmas Eve, and Ken and Ginny joined us, too. Milo, Hallie, and Nick stayed through Christmas Day. Gifts, games, and food were the order of the day. We took a lot of walks, but more on that another day.

And then they left. Hallie and Nick encountered some patchy fog on the way back to Seattle on Saturday but reported that traffic was light. Milo said the roads were slick as he traveled south on 95 Sunday morning. He said it was slow-going but not much traffic. Travel at Christmastime is worrisome.

Mike and I were up early Sunday morning to see Milo off, and then we stayed up and got to work. I had taken the ornaments off the Christmas tree Saturday evening, so Mike helped me remove the lights and dismantle the tree. It’s all put away now, and sad as it was to take it down, I kept reminding myself that I would be so glad not to have to do it in the spring. Besides, the tree in town is there for as long as I need it.

We then packed food, laundry, gifts, and last but not least, the garbage, and Mike loaded as much as we could into the Jeep for the trip to town. We were here by noon, and then it was time to unpack. As Aunt Ethel said in 1937, we had another of those awful “skimpy” affairs, which leaves us all wondering “where to put the new things, when we barely had room enough for the old!”

We didn’t winterize the house, though. We have to go back for the rest of the food and laundry – and to get Mike’s wallet. We both have to-do lists. KW

 

2 comments:

Chris said...

So glad you got to have Christmas with your kids! Sounds like you had a wonderful time. What did you think of the cookies?

I have taken to asking Dan if he has his wallet anytime we head out the door. He hates having one in his pocket so always takes it out at home and often when he drives, placing it in a cup holder of the console.

Kathy said...

We all liked the cookies, but Mike and Milo especially praised them. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.

Mike puts his wallet on the chest of drawers at the farm because he doesn't need it there. We have developed a better plan, such as putting it in my purse. I really don't like carrying his stuff, but I see the wisdom of this move.