Dec. 24, 2005 - 22:33 MST

SOFTLY AND WHITELY FALLS

There is somewhere around a week left of this year, but for me Christmas marks another year past. Milestones along the way.

Today has been the typical, ideal Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve day.

Began with finishing wrapping, last minute kitchen exercises and then of course, going out for a last stop at Walgreens in search of Cherry Chocolates, which they didn't have any left. Neither did Safeway. Thence to take the car to the carwash king on the west side of town to have Besty squeaky clean for Christmas. Not sure if that was on her wish list, but get washed, she did.

Then home for an afternoon breather, a bite, a doze in the easy chair, finishing the paper and such like.

We went to our son's house and from there to his church for the candlelight celebration, some very good voices singing carols including my favorite "Silent Night" which always is a bitter sweet Carol for me as I can't hear it without thinking of Mom and how she loved that one. Somehow though, it always makes me feel closer to her.

Then the four of us went to the home of a niece of Heather and mine where we had a great buffet dinner, you name it -- it was there somewhere. Our son always has a blast meeting with family, and this niece lived just a few doors away from us while he was finishing growing up.

It is a big house, and it was full to the scuppers with people of all sizes and kinds. Infant twins were there with their Mom and Dad, various and sundry arrangements of boy friend - girl friend in whatever stage their romance is in at the minute.

There were enough of us old folks there to remind the kids to be mannnerly. They all came round and passed a few words with us and then back to youthful horsing around and teasing.

The house there was decorated inside and out, tastefully it was. I think if some one had been there and didn't catch the Christmas Spirit, they would have been such a state that they couldn't be reached by anyone.

They live way out in the country, the ride home was peaceful and our stomachs busy digesting the good food we had. It was remarkable to us that the traffic was moving sanely, can't seem to remember traffic on Christmas Eve like that ever before.

We dropped son and his mate at their house, wished each other Merry Christmas once again and Heather and I headed home, we took more or less back streets home and slowly wended our way, admiring all the pretty Christmas lights on the way. Although it was warm this evening it seemed to me that there were snowflakes SOFTLY AND WHITELY FALLING . . . . . . . . . .

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