DAY 5 – A FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS

 
The Christmas doings were women’s work as far as Jack was concerned. For the most part, he stayed out of the way. Still, several important tasks were entrusted to him – carrying mail to and from the mailbox, including outgoing and incoming packages, and cutting the Christmas tree. Last summer, he had spotted a nice little fir tree out on the canyon rim, but he now had second thoughts. He wanted to take Sadie with him when he cut the tree, and the canyon rim was too far for a little girl to walk.

So, after a hearty lunch, Jack set off to the draw on the northern boundary of his property with his faithful companion, “Dick the Dog,” at his side. Before long he spotted a young fir that would make a perfect Christmas tree to set on the library table. It would still be a good stretch of the legs for little Sadie, and he hoped Ethel would allow her to go. He smiled to himself as he thought of Sadie.

Jack & June -- which is which?

Having accomplished the task at hand, Jack walked up Plank’s Pitch to the mailbox. He pocketed the mail – no Christmas cards or packages yet – and walked home by way of June and Bertha’s house where he stopped in to warm himself and chat a spell with his twin brother and family. The coffee was good and so were the gingersnaps, which tasted just like Ina’s. He and June made plans to cut a tree for the schoolhouse next week, and then he ambled on home. KW