Christmas Photos and Thoughts...

I have to admit. Christmas this year was "Blah." It just wasn't fun. I went out to my parents' house on Christmas Eve, as we've done every year for the past 20 or so. It's a wonder I got there. My parents live about an hour away, and I was about 1/3 of the way there when my dad called to see where I was. I hadn't hurried because my brother wasn't getting off work 'til 6, and my sister MUST go to church if the doors are open. It was all I could do not to turn around and go back home. It couldn't just be, where are you? What time will you arrive? It had to be "I hope you and Cynthia aren't arguing. Leave it outside." "Do this, do that." All negativity. And BTW, I was the STILL the first one there!

EVERY year, for the last 40+, we have had stockings. This year, mom said, "No presents." And she meant it. We didn't even get stockings this year. The kids did, but no grown-ups. I did take my parents a gift each. Just because they are my parents. I was the only one. The kids had a few presents, but that was it. And it wasn't because no one could afford it. It was really quite depressing. We got home about 10:30 - the earliest EVER. Cynthia grabbed her presents from me off the counter in the kitchen and headed to living room. Didn't even ask me to join her, didn't thank me, didn't say a word. And that was it. The end. No, Cynthia didn't buy anything for her own mother. Her friend down the street gave me a calendar - it was probably a dollar - but she had seen it and it had a Paris-theme and she thought I might like it. I really did, and it's hanging in my office. So, "Blah" is a good adjective.

Anyway, there were a couple bright spots. Of course, it was fun to watch the kids unwrap. Especially Olivia, 'cause she's the youngest. My nephews are 12 and 15. And it was fun to watch Cynthia interact with Olivia, as she is normally very jealous.

Isn't this a sweet picture:
Cynthia's phone quacks like a duck when you take a photo. And Olivia thinks it's the funniest thing on earth.
Olivia got a shopping cart from Santa. She was all over the place, and everyone, with it.Isn't she sweet in her "tutu"? Yeta, my SIL, was trying to dress her in something else, and she wanted to wear this dress:

This picture will make great black-mail in about 15 years...
I worked on Christmas day. Christmas Day is notorious for being busy, busy, busy. Everyone is done with the Christmas spirit, and done being good waiting for Santa, and they all start fighting. Not this year! It was dead quiet! And I don't mean literally. Nothing is open but the Waffle House - ew! - so I made a big pot of O'Charley's Baked Potato Soup for the shift. AND... I did something I haven't done in about 15 years. When I work in Dispatch, I answer the phones. Occasionally (very occasionally) I will dispatch a call when the other operator is out of the room, or give a look-out. But as a rule, I am the call-taker. Since I don't use it every day, I am not proficient with the dispatch computer system. And you have to be FAST. Well, it was fairly quiet. We had three officers and one supervisor on the road ('til Morning Watch came in at 9pm) so I took the radio. And I had it the entire shift! I was so proud of myself. I didn't miss anything, or mess anything up! It was actually fun! And the guys were on their best behavior. I sent out a "chat" that I was gonna do it. There is one officer who will ask me all the time, "You gonna take the radio tonight?" And I always say, "What do you think?" So when I announced it, he said, "Yeah, right." And immediately did an area check to see who answered him. When I did, he said, "You weren't kidding?!" And like I said, they were on their best behavior. That means, not talking on top of each other, cutting each other out, etc. But then, we DIDN'T have any "hot" calls either. :-)

And one final photo. Vicki and Karen O! have shared photos of their Christmas Cacti, and I wanted to show mine off also and tell you the story behind it:
When Cynthia was in Elementary and Middle School, I was a Girl Scout leader for her troop. That was a LONG time ago. At least 8 years ago. One of the girls in my troop and her mother gave me this as a gift for Christmas one year. (I hope I'm not jinxing it's life by telling this.) And it blooms just about every year. Sometimes it's a Valentine's Cactus, sometimes, just because. Well, the girl who gave it to me has a child of her own, and her mother passed away several years ago from ovarian cancer. I think about them both every time it blooms.