Extendomatic Post

 The day after Christmas hasn't gone the way we planned. To be honest, we didn't really have any plans other than when the temps get above freezing to go the garage and get the Christmas storage containers and begin to put away Christmas. Unfortunately, the Christmas truck will be going straight into the garbage can. We have several small projects to do. This morning we also encountered computer issues. It is after noon and Roy is just now taking a shower. He doesn't do life that way but I reminded him, he is on vacation and there is no harm in taking an easy time as morning comes to you. He did get part of the computer problem solved and he has ordered something that will be delivered Monday, Lord willing, to rectify the issue. 

We worked on his humorous speech most of Christmas afternoon. We forgot to open presents, so we will do that this afternoon. His speech made me laugh and with Roy not leaning to the funny side of life, you know he has come up with something rather clever. We were fine tuning his thoughts and adding the segways he needed in between the subject matter. He has mainly been doing evaluations in Toastmasters, so it has been awhile since he has concentrated so intensely on crafting a speech.  

We are still below freezing but snow is beginning to melt away with the sun. Reports on road conditions are the usual, main roads fine, but secondary roads, slick as ice because, there is ice. We are truly old now, because we comment on the trucks and cars going too fast on our road. They are driving like it's a sunny July day. 

It is officially bleak winter season when it comes to produce stands. Barber closed Christmas Eve afternoon. So we wait those months of January and February, but March brings a few stands beginning to open. Once spring arrives, they are all almost open except for the apple orchards which begin in July and August. Thankful that we froze strawberries and peaches this year, so opening those will bring a bit of the warmth of summer to us, even if it is just in taste. 

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Sunday morning brings an icy driveway and rumors of patches of ice along the roads. We are now taking a sabbatical Sunday. Gave the kiddos a little snack this morning and then opened the garage door for them. Some stay behind and others run out into the cold and snow to frolic a bit. You would think these cats would not like the snow, but they play in it by chasing and tackling each other. It has been fun in the evenings going out to the garage and playing laser chase. We had a full house last night with the exception of Junior, Radley and Bobsey. 

We opened Christmas gifts yesterday afternoon and had a blast. My brother and Brenda's gifts for us are all wonderful. This year I have struggled with being organized with Christmas gifts, but soon, New Year gifts will find their way to their designated places. 

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Sometimes it is difficult to find quiet moments to write, but I am not complaining. This time of year we get more ease into the morning kind of days. So many times we have appointments and such to take care of. Both of us are getting caught up on our rest. Yesterday, we got most of the Christmas decorations put away. That meant disturbing the sleeping corner for the ferals but we were able to get it back into place and dare I say, with better sleeping conditions. All the big stuff has been done, now we just need to do some of the smaller stuff. Leading the exciting life, we might take some cardboard over to the recycling truck at the landfill. 

We got a Christmas card and letter from my friend Beth. It was so good to hear about all that has been happening this year. She lives off the Puget Sound. Her daughter is a sculptor and has major works all around the country. Like so many of us, Covid made us tackle those projects we have been putting off for years. I was thinking that this year I tackled and organized more projects than ever before. The front garden project, putting together a desk and creating a corner in the bonus room if by chance Roy ever has to work from here. Our large monitor has stopped working and Roy is in the process of getting all that solved or at least trying to solve. The chair we ordered for the desk arrived yesterday and Roy put it together. Very comfortable.

This month when books have had a coupon or gone on sale, I have been stockpiling them for reading in January. Usually, January becomes a contemplative month for me and usually that is when I do the majority of any writing, with the exception of this year. I worked on short stories just to challenge myself and it was an enjoyable process. 

We are down to less than a week of 2020. I noticed on Twitter and a little on Facebook that people still are in the arguing season, even during Christmas or winter break. Not only arguing but more so making unkind comments to heart tugging posts. I think my favorite video of the season has been the three little boys in East TN, that marked themselves with markers so they could be bad guys. When the little boy who is marked up the most and doing the talking says, complete with contrite facial expression, we need to think about what we have done...love it!