A Lovely Christmas So, it's Christmas night. Awesome Eve and following day. Absolutely so lovely that it was exquiste and probably the best Christmas since my mother died. I received more than I deserve, including two of Bruce Campbell's books, some clothes (much needed. Homer and Squirrel Queen come through again) and a digital camera that Squirrel Queen is going to have to show me how to use (it even makes little movies apparently.) I learned on a 35 mm/Black and White. I've got some learning to do. Yeah, let us remember I'm 41 years old. It takes me a bit of time, but the camera is a pretty good one and I'm just thrilled to have it. Gotta do some reading in the manual, but those Bruce Campbell books look so appealing to pick up first. The most lovely little items were the things I least expected. My father (now known as Big Daddy and his wife, Hello Nurse (from Animaniacs) bought me a small antique Royal Typewriter key with the Mad Hatter inside of it. I LOVE Alice in Wonderland (Collected Alice stuff for years) and it was a sweet, lovely present that I've touched tentatively all day with such sweet wonder I can't believe I actually have it in a necklace around my neck. This, and the awe-inspiring poem here were magnificent sentiments of friendship and hope. Squirrel Queen also gave me a Bigfoot. Pictures are forthcoming as soon as I figure out the camera and even Big Daddy laughed over the Bigfoot, which has a stamp pad where it makes Bigfoot prints when you step it around on paper. There was even a Weekly World News in the box with it. Hello Nurse and I bought each other the same gift. It was small and delicious and just wonderful. I feel so good about it that she and my father now have blogger nicknames. It was so appropriately delightful and relieving to know that things are going to be okay. The best present was spending part of two days with Big Daddy, who gave out Christmas cards with our blog names on them. Even the nieces blog names were written on the envelopes along with Squirrel Queen, Homer, Squeegee Monkey and, delightfully, newscoma. *sigh* The healing has begun and it was wonderful. So wonderful that I can hardly breath. Sadness filled the air at SQ's family's house. The grief of losing two loved ones in such a short period of time sat like dense fog on the Christmas activites. It'll will heal within the luxury of time. We will heal her, but now she needs time to remember and grieve. We actually went on our annual trek to church (it didn't fall in) and SQ cried as Christmas carols were sung, reminding her of her grandmother who had died two weeks earlier because she went to church everytime the doors opened. She cried softly, and sadly later in the service, I fumed, not at her but at the pastor's reading of this thing about pacifists and liberals and gays that sounded like one of those forwarded e-mails people send to each other but, TO HIS CREDIT, his sermon on the historical activities aligned with the Nativity were really good. I will give credit where it's due. I don't think he thought anything other than what he was reading was cute (I did not) but I believe that it is little stuff like this that causes bigger problems. I'll need some time before I go back. Little did he know his guests. And this was the church I was born and raised in. It's not terrible, but it just hit me wrong. But everything else was fantastic. So, it was a lovely Christmas. I'm one happy camper.  ¶ 12/25/2006 05:34:00 PM