2006-12-27 - 11:15 a.m.
It's snowing! A good proper snow too, light and fluffy, and lots of it. It's always nice to see a little fresh snow at the holidays, especilly when you know that in a couple weeks you'll be back on the balmy west coast.
Christmas was great this year. It was comparatively small, with only the immediate family and one aunt in attendance. We went to church on Christmas Eve, and it was a very nice service, with lots of carols, which is just the way a Christmas service should be. Chris, the new rector at the church came over after the service for tea. She is really nice, and very friendly, and from everything that I've seen a very good pastor. I certainly like her sermons.
Christmas day we got up early, as we always do. Thankfully, we're all a little older, so it wasn't as early as it used to be. Time was we would all get up at seven to start opening gifts. This year we managed to wait until eight, although I think my sisters were both up and at the stockings by seven. Everyone seemed pleased with the various souvenirs/gifts that I found for them in Europe. I gave Judith one of the Moroccan rugs (one down, two to go!) and a story I wrote about the experience. In my family every year we draw names, and are supposed to make something for that person. I counted the story as the home made part, and the rug just as extra. Judith had my name as well, and she made me a shadow box with old postcard and labels from Paris. It was very cool, and made me miss travelling. I also got a couple good books, a cast iron frying pan, a crockpot, a tent, and some clothes. It was a good Christmas!
Christmas day was a whirl of watching DVDs and eating snacks, just like it should be. We walked up after supper to look at the lights on some of the houses in town. One house in particular always goes all out with the lights. This guy puts up thousands and thousands of lights, and has inflatable snowmen, and a dancing Santa, and just about everything you can think of. It was a little overwhelming, as it is every year.
Yesterday I managed to get sick. Sam had been sick leading up to Christmas, and both Anne and Tim felt under the weather on Christmas Eve. I think Dad and I caught what they had, since I felt miserable yesterday. I was well enough though to show my trip pictures to my aunt. I went through all of our pictures, and just culled the best ones, and still had five hundred pictures. On the other hand, I was gone for five months.
