Happy Holidays!

Well, another Christmas come and gone. It was a good one this year - although it was a bit strange without my niece at home. She is in Scotland going to college at the University of Edinburgh. We were able to "call" her on the video/computer thingy, though! We could sit there and talk to her, and see her, and everything - just as if she was right there with us.

Her sister Lauren kinda made out this year, what with her sister being gone and the surgery she had to go thru and all. She got a boat load of stuff for Christmas! Her grandparents on her father's side got her a very nice camera, along with other equally nice stuff. She was quite pleased with herself.

Surprise, surprise! Lauren is singing in the church choir! Her hearing aids work so well that she is able to participate without any problems at all. Well, except for nerves, that is. She told me the first time she sang up there, she was so nervouse her hands were shaking. She's an old pro at it now.

Christmas day was spent over at Mother's farm. We all had a great afternoon full of conversations, fun games, and - of course - good food. Mother took advantage of my headache and beat me rather soundly at a game of Rummy. Laurel and TJ went against Kelly and Chris at a game of RummyCubes. The tables were overflowing with sandwich makings: a spiral-cut ham, some turkey, fancy mustard, home-made cranberry sauce, all kinds of salads, breads, and deserts.

Pretty much everybody showed up, too - except for Lisa and her family. It's just as well, though. Lisa doesn't drive very well, and the roads home were horrible. I did drive home, and took my time doing so. All the way home, I could see cars in the ditch left and right. The police even had traffic diverted off the highway at one point, going around the back way into Eagle River to avoid a huge 4-car pile up. I was rather tense by the time I got home, to say the least.

I hope everybody else out there had a good holiday, too!