Winding down

This year Christmas time has been a flurry of activities.  It is beginning to wind down, and will wind down a lot next week when I am whisked off to the SSB - the absolute stillness there.

The activities began with Krissi's birthday dinner.  I am still thinking of that buffalo tenderloin steak.  It was so good, and I was surprised at the tenderness of that thing. After all - buffalo??

So the whole family (adults) were together for that.  Then it was decided we would have family dinner on Sunday.  Gosh Friday, then Sunday.  G wanted to go to church on Christmas Eve, so that was planned. Steve said he would do dinner on Christmas Eve, and presents family-wide would be opened then.

When we got to church and parked, there was a black truck that was backing into the space next to us.  I was thinking it looked like my son's.  As they got even with us, Christina rolled down her window with the biggest grin.  What a surprise.  The other family went to the 3 pm service that was more for kids.  They didn't realize it was for LITTLE kids.  Too bad they didn't wait for the 5 pm.  But I don't know that we could have found seating for 12!

Christmas morning is traditional for us to go to Krissi's for the kids opening their presents and breakfast.  Mr Scrouge announced on Christmas Eve he wasn't going and didn't care about breakfast.  That sent the youngest of their kids (Karrington) into a tizzy.  She always has a bit of the drama queen in her, but she was tired and it upset her that tradition wasn't going to continue.

Since the kids are older, I (foolishly) expected them to sleep in.  But at 7:30 I got the call.  I hurriedly dressed to go.  Didn't bother to wake Grumpy.  It was good.  Presents were ripped open in a matter of minutes.  We had breakfast and I went home.  We were going to my DIL's mother's house for lunch/dinner at 2.  That is another tradition.  It is nice to see Ginger.  She is a very sweet person, and I enjoy her family.  This year she included Christina's brother's wife's family (lots of possessives there!).  Lovely people.

Being with the kids all these  times had my head spinning.  We have gotten away from this much family time.  But who is complaining.  Not me!

In the meantime, I was anxiously awaiting the delivery of a package for G.  His computer is old and slow.  It is running XP as an operating system, and it just won't download things as it should.  SO I found one on my favorite shopping site.  I even paid the $13 to have the shipping expedited.  That's something for me.  It is a discontinued Dell, but it will meet his needs just fine.  It was due to be delivered yesterday (Saturday).  It was supposed to be here by 12 noon.  At 11:15 I checked my email to see where it was.  It said delivered.  This was important because there have been so many deliveries stolen in this area, I surely didn't want a computer stolen.  The message said delivered at 10:50.  I went to the door, and sure enough - there it was!

I wanted to get more lights for the outside when they went on sale.  Mine were so old they didn't work.  We bought two strings when we put up the display, but they were at regular price (and expensive).  They are sparse.  Krissi and I set out for the sale on Christmas decorations.  She bought a whole lot.  I bought two little trees for the porch, and about 5 strings of lights including some ice cycles.

AND the most surprising thing - they want family dinner again tonight!  We have one dissenting vote - Mr. Scrooge, the Grump.

Tomorrow we head off to the SSB where we will spend a week.  I so badly want to stay home.  I am tired of spending a quarter of my time in the near wilderness.  Steve and Reagan are going for a few days.  Steve still hasn't gotten a deer (we eat what we kill - we all like venison, and there are SO many deer in Texas the herd seriously needs to be thinned some - not nearly enough vegetation for them).  I wish G would just go with them and leave me here.  But "that ain't gonna happen."  Bah Humbug.  Poor ending to what has been a really good holiday season.