Christmas 06
I just noticed that I’m averaging about one entry a week these days. I will have to pick up the pace in ‘07. I like how the holiday timing worked this year- taking four days of hard earned vacation time resulted in a total of 10 days off. We spent the first half of the week at Steve’s parents in far northern Vermont where we relaxed amidst all the goodies and the golden blur of Lucky and Maggie attached at the shoulder and moving at a jostling clip throughout the house. Their favorite game is “let’s mostly pretend to bite each other” FOR HOURS. I suppose it is the human equivalent of “I’m not touching you” (singsong) and tag.
Eric and Kristi spent a hellish 48 hours just trying to get here from Wyoming, with a layover in Denver, and arrived a day later than planned. The final kicker was when the suitcase with most of their clothes and all the Christmas gifts was lost somewhere in the continental US. We delayed Christmas and hours were spent on the phone on Christmas day trying to get ahold of a live person who could tell us anything useful. Finally, late in the day it was confirmed that the suitcase would be sent out on immediate delivery. We went out into the woods and got the tree. 
There was just enough snow for a snowball fight.
We had Christmas and it was fun. My favorite moments were when Steve and Eric opened their “runs with lightsaber” t-shirts (something they literally accomplished during our great adventure) and when Steve opened up the dashboard ninjas.
We headed back on Wednesday, with a stop in Craftsbury to say hello to our crew there, who now have big rambling farmhouses and barns of their own. Lucky was scared of their cows.
Thursday was a fun day of spending Christmas money and gift certificates, which brings me to a fundamental difference between men and women:
Me: There’s nothing more fun than going shopping with Christmas money.
Steve: Yeah there is.
I will leave you with one of my favorite pictures, taken while we were waiting for Eric and Kristi at the airport. Look at that leg arrangement.
Tomorrow we head out to New Hampshire for a few days with my family and New Year’s celebration.
Happy New Year everyone!
Dec 29th 2006Everyday life & Family & Pets & Pictures