TLC and I hope y’all had a
lovely Christmas! We’re very grateful to be able to report that we did! On
Christmas Day, My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I made the two-hour trip Northeast to
TLC’s home for a wonderful lunch (TLC is absolutely, positively the BEST
cook…I’m so not exaggerating.). Biscuit (aka Little Leighton aka LL) showed
Grammy and Pa-Pa what Santa brought her! We think she sorta/kinda gets it this
year. Maybe. At least a wittle-itty-bitty bit. Santa brought her an adorable
pink tricycle with a “Frozen” helmet that also has a tiara on it! Too funny.
Could be a while before she can pedal—trust me, she was sure trying!
MSH and I couldn’t stay
too terribly long, as we had to get back home to our Buddy Boo Bear (BBB). The
Brown Lab that runs our home, don’tchaknow. We were gone from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00ish p.m. (BBB was stressed.) It was a sweet/fabulous/marvelous Christmas
Day, thank You, Lord God Almighty!
So, yesterday, MSH and I
did something we’ve not ever done. Or, at least, we can’t remember ever doing
it. We took our Christmas decorations down before the first of the new year! We (I am using the term "we" rather loosely, as MSH doesn't participate too long in this annual procedure.) typically disassemble the
tree, etc., on January 1st or 2nd. We’ve probably been as
late as January 3rd. But not more than once of twice in our thirty-eight
Christmases together.
As it turns out, we’ll be
taking care of LL on New Year’s Day and until January 3rd. Knowing this, MSH
and I decided, on Christmas Eve night, it’d be easiest, in the long run,
to go put up all evidence of Christmas early. Like…yesterday.
I shall confess: I’m not a very nice person during “The Takedown.”
I’m that gal who gets home from a trip/vacation and lives out of her luggage
for a week or two because I despise unpacking. True story. MSH? The most organized,
responsible, energetic husband I personally know when it comes to putting
things back where they came from. Me? Not so much.
I was going to begin this disassembly at 9:00 a.m yesterday morn. I pushed it back to 11:30 a.m. Then it was actually noon —because I needed to have lunch first. We have our
“process.” I take the ornaments off the tree so we can get it put back into our
storage room in our garage. That was done by 12:30 p.m. It's my job, at that point, to put everything in
the boxes from whence it all came. At 4:30 p.m. ? I was Ms. DO-NOT-EVEN-THINK-ABOUT-TALKING-TO-ME-I’M-GETTING-ON-MY-OWN-NERVES.
2014.
Each year, as I put
everything back in its designated box/place/closet/shelf, I also “purge.” I
decide it’s time to throw or give away some (or lots) of our Christmas items. This is one
reason it takes me so long to do “teardown.” Yesterday, I also did an extra-extra good job (if I do say so myself!) of packing and organizing the boxes that
go out to the storage room with the tree. There’re five of them. Three large/extra long
boxes. Two semi-large/shorter boxes. MSH took the last of those out by 6:00 p.m. I parked myself on the davenport/couch/divan at 6:10 and stayed there until 10:00 . At which point, I drug myself to bed.
This morning we did
something else we’ve never done: We went to a movie before noon !!! Never, in our combined 130 years on this Earth,
have we ever, ever, EVER gone so early. Ever. MSH read the book Unbroken. Told me—when he was
about a third of the way through it—I would not be able to read it. I trust
him. I knew he was right. Somehow I thought it would be okay/notquiteasawful to
see the movie. Something about believing that Angelina
couldn’t possibly put all the torturous scenes MSH described to me, as he
read said book, in a two-hour movie. Wow. Was I ever wrong? It’s a tough one.
Uber tough. I now have a newfound respect for Angelina Jolie. A tres sincere respect for her courage and talent.
She’s my new hero. And everything I’ve ever complained about in my life? Am I
kidding? Nothing has compared, or, I pray, will ever compare, to what this
amazing man went through to survive his
unimaginable challenges.
I cried almost
uncontrollably the last ten minutes of the movie. For many, many, MANY reasons.
(Lauren knows those reasons and admitted she cried, too!) Then I broke down, again, at lunch with MSH. We stopped for a quick burger at one of
our favourite burger joints in Weatherford. I had questions, for MSH, about the book. I
had statements—about this incredible Louis Zamperini. (I’m slightly worried there are
people that thought MSH and I must be fighting.) I wanted to stand up and
scream: We are beyond lucky to be sitting here. Having a burger. Being free!
We’ve been home for close to three hours. Unfortunately, I have about three more hours of “un-assembly” to
complete. I didn't get it all accomplished yesterday. You see, I have a lot of Christmas “stuff” that goes up into our
guest room (TLC’s former bedroom and LL’s current bedroom when she’s here!) closet shelves. This
is the last thing I want to do. I want to get back on our davenport and watch football games with MSH. Okay. Not really. I want to go into our bedroom and watch some of the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies I've DVRed. However, this un-assembly must be completed. Sigh. Sheesh. Yuck.
Hope Y’all are having a
Wonderful Weekend—wherever in the World you are! Take a moment to reflect on
every good thing in your life, okay? I promise I’m going to…
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