Dashing Through the Snow

The Christmas season is upon us once more. Of course, around here it's been upon us since mid-October. I believe Christmas is much to big of a holiday to do justice merely from Thanksgiving to December 25. So as soon as the weather cools past a mild inferno I start in with the Christmas music.


But out of a sense of propriety, I still don't put the tree up or decorate until after Thanksgiving. This will be our first Christmas having the festivities out at my house, so our preparations are especially important this year. Where goes the Grandpa, so goes the celebrations.




Friday, as soon as we'd tidied up from Thanksgiving, Caleb and I hauled out the Christmas tree. Last year I put it up in my room for safety's sake, but I really want to have it out in the living room this year where Grandpa can see it. We'll see how it goes.


After we assembled the tree, we left it up over the weekend to let the cats get used to it for a while in the hopes that they'd soon tire of it and we could put the decorations up in peace. So far it is not looking really good for living room trees. The cats seem to think it is a special gift to them to make up for the annoyance of winter.

How happy they are to be able to climb and frolic again, even if the needles are plastic and the branches are wire. 

Our once-proud tree now lists rather alarmingly to the side and the branches droop downward, reminiscent of a weeping willow. And we haven't even tried to hang the ornaments on yet. I fear we won't be able to keep very many on the tree, but I have an idea for the ornaments if the cats prove too much for them. I'm just not telling you yet so I can surprise you...and so if it doesn't work out, you'll never know what it was.

Meanwhile, Caleb and I have discovered yet another amusement to while away our rural hours with---

Driveway Ice-skating

After several snows and as many episodes of freezing rain, our driveway is getting pretty slick. Sunday was a beautiful day of nearly 30 degrees, with bright sun and mild wind. Just right for getting outdoors and enjoying a bit of skating. I wouldn't let Caleb on the pond because the last few days had been warm, but there was no falling through the driveway.


Falling ON the driveway, maybe....

Somehow, by the time I got the camera outside Caleb had decided his ankles hurt too much to skate. Sissy. I'm not ashamed post my pictures, even though I looked approximately like an over-weight dill pickle, with no grace to speak of----on stilts.

Skating on the driveway is not a very  elegant proposition. The ice is very bumpy and is dotted with little gravelly patches waiting to seize you and hurl you to the ground. Pretty soon even my ankles had to cry "uncle", but we managed to extend our play a bit more by doing some arm sledding.

What's arm sledding, you ask? Arm sledding is what you do when you have no hills to sled on. Simply lie down on the sled and scoot along the slick snow using your arms. It's possible to go quite quickly using this method, but be aware you will not even be able to shut a door without pain for almost a week.

Oh, winter is wonderful. Filled with fun and delight.

I wish it were over.