Or maybe he’s not on his way, if you’ve been naughty all year. I’ve been talking to my sister and she filled me in on the McArthur Christmas – naughty, nice, the elf on the shelf, tickle monsters, Chase and Alexis, jello that wouldn’t set and a turkey to die for. I think the chef in the family (Andy) should spread himself around a little better for the holidays, or at least give us all crash courses in how to cook the perfect bird.
My brother starts his treatments the week after next. Two trips to London, and then the rest of the five months (five months!) he can have them done in Owen Sound, so at least the travelling won’t be as grueling. Ann says he’s in very good spirits, or if he’s not he’s putting up an excellent front. His take on it is that everyone dies sometime, some sooner than others, and at least he’s been given a heads up. I love my brother. He’s more like our parents than he knows.
Our turkey is thawing, the stuffing is ready to go, the kitchen is a mess, and I’m on my second rum of the evenning. Christmas Eve is good for something, in this case an excellent excuse to drink. Work dragged itself by today and there was only one insane purchaser of eyewear. Mostly I watched the carts of little old ladies for them while they went to the washroom. Then I took the damned Christmas tree down, and what was left of the decorations because no one will be back working in the Vision Centre until the 27th. If there’s one thing that bugs me about this holiday season it’s how we prolong it. There will be nothing even remotely christmas-y in my house long before the New Year. Bah humbug, I suppose. I am eternally thankful that I don’t have to work on Boxing Day when everyone returns or exchanges every gift they got.
Tonight we had some friends drop in for a drink, so that’s what got me started on the rum. They were on their way home from helping out with Christmas dinner for the homeless. Or just the unfortunate at a downtown church. W worked at the car wash all day and then decided to walk home. He sent me a text at about 4:20 and finally showed up at home some time after six o’clock. With a tree branch in his hand. So obviously he’d been into the Christmas cheer all afternoon. Yep, I’m rolling my eyes. I’m glad he didn’t drive home, but I could have gone and picked him up. Of course then we wouldn’t have the pine bough that he snapped off of somebody’s front yard tree. He wants to put it on top of a heat register so that the scent of pine will fill the house. Between that and my gazillion lit candles the place is smelling down right festive.
The prompt for today is to name the best holiday gift I ever received. Without a doubt that’s my Kindle from my brilliant daughter-in-law, truly the gift that keeps on giving. And if you’re talking about non-material things, that would be our incredible families, close and extended, here, there, and everywhere. Going to be tucked up in my bedroom reading my Kindle very shortly, and fast asleep before you know it. Visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. Spiced rum does that to me.
Breathing Space 
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