The Merriest Christmas

     The new living room furniture was delivered and the kitchen remodel finished the first week in December, so I rushed to put up Christmas decorations as soon as I had a place for the tree. Since I didn't have much time, I limited the decorating to the living room, dining room table and one tree downstairs, not even unpacking all the Hallmark ornaments. Nevertheless, Christmas spirit quickly filled the house.
     On December 24th, I went to early church with Barney and Dorothy. Afterwards we went to a party and then came here to open presents.
     Scheduling worked out favorably for a December 25th celebration with Kelly, Rodney and Adam spending the night here after presents were opened. Since Andrew and Alee had to return to Lawrence in the evening, we started the party around 4 pm with snacks set up on the new kitchen counter. Adam arrived later after an arduous trip fighting auto troubles. Tortilla roll ups and Sloppy joes provided traditional tastes but Triumph ribs proved the most popular for the second year in a row and will be on the menu again next year.
     The next morning, Kelly and Rodney and I enjoyed coffee, tea and conversation in the kitchen. They left around 11:30 am. Adam slept until 3 pm.( He and I had stayed up until 3 am the night before.) Kelly commented that this had been one of the Merriest Christmases.

Well'mas

Plans to open presents on Dec. 25 changed on Christmas Eve day as the cold season lingered in Lawrence. The decision to delay was made shortly before noon when Kelly and I agreed to wait until all were feeling better and then we would celebrate Well'mas. Since I had frozen several food items earlier in the week and since Dorothy and Barney were coming over Christmas Day for left-overs anyway, a delay was not a disaster. Besides, we have always considered the celebration as being more important than the date.

So, a few days after New Year's, despite a weather forecast of sleet and snow threatening our plans, we were able to get together. After snacks, Sloppy Joes and Triumph ribs, we went downstairs to enjoy the renovations that had spanned over a year since the summer 2013 flooding.

Adam and Heather had to leave around 11:30 pm partly because of snow that was moving into the area but mostly because their dog Penelope was all alone in Lawrence. Then Rodney, who was still in the recovery phase of a cold, gave up on the festivities, taking an old towel and a jar of Vick's with him to bed. Not long after, the rest of us tucked in.

The next morning was sunny but cold. The snow forecast of several inches had not materialized so the return trip to Lawrence would not be difficult.