WHITE CHRISTMAS

Christmas went by in a blur, a white blur, that is. Although we were enchanted with the first snowfall, and excited to get an extra day off of school in that interminable last week before vacation, the novelty was soon replaced with indecision and inconveniences. Schools didn't know whether to close again or not, folks didn't know how early to cancel their Christmas parties and music programs and Christmas church services. And it just kept snowing. We only had 2 days of school in our district; others were worse.

I stayed inside, happy to have sewing time for projects that wouldn't otherwise have gotten done. This is the first year I can remember where my sewing projects weren't just promises. As a matter of fact, the 30 placemats I made were from fabric I bought several years ago. I still have the fabric for the girls' handbags from a few years ago, and the apron fabric for Grandma C's gift of at least a decade ago. Clearly I need more snow.

Amanda got home after 24 hours delayed in airports and planes and was not amused at "house arrest by snow". Even though she'd planned to read lots and just sit and do nothing, when it was the only option it was not as charming. After 2 weeks of snow, freezing rain and then finally melting rain, you can imagine her chagrin when on the eve of her departure it started to snow again--big white fluffy flakes. The weatherman was right though, and it was gone in time for her early morning drive to Seattle, flight to Chicago, Nashville and drive to Dayton. The cold spell followed her eastward.

We had lots of game nights with Evan and Lisa, Emily and John, and Brett and Nichole. Amanda was a magnet of course, and everyone with 4 wheel drive or chains or studded tires took advantage of them to get out for a change of scenery. Evan and Lisa came over several days so Lisa and I could sew together. We had 2 machines set up in the living room on a 8' table, and we each did our own project happily side by side ("Parallel Play", Piaget calls it). We listened to Christmas music as long as we could stand it and then turned to the Mamas and the Papas.


The recycle trucks couldn't run on the side streets in town, so John had an unexpected week off. I think he used it digging cars out of drifts, charging batteries, shoveling, fixing furnaces and looking for Prissy, his white cat, in the snow. (She reappeared after a week without explaining herself). Emily worked all week with John delivering her. She is carefully keeping all her days off for their trip to Tunisia in 2 months.

Poor Nichole worked longer hours than usual at FedEx with the Christmas rush complicated by the snow closures. One night she was there until nearly midnight working outdoors in 20 degree weather. Brett worked at the hospital as usual with a long commute, but one night he had the fun of driving hospital personnel home in a rental Durango with all the bells and whistles. Later they realized he wasn't old enough to do it for insurance reasons, so that was the end of his chauffeuring career.

And we made cookies. One day my friend Diane wanted Amanda and me to come over and make snow angels but we said, "forget it". Half an hour later she called again to say she was coming over to bake cookies. She tromped through the snow carrying chocolate chips and whatnot, falling three times and catching herself a few times more. She made toffee bars and chocolate chip cookies, Amanda made sugar cookies, I made ginger bread and shortbread and jam-filled cookies.



Emily came over to bake her Pumpkin Bread gift loaves, and made 18 loaves plus a dozen star muffins. Lisa and Evan baked to relieve boredom and brought bags of goodies every time they came over!

One night Brett and Amanda and
John went sledding on the golf course
by the light of the silvery moon.
I think I was jealous.

We had determined to give our Christmas gifts to people needier than ourselves, so on Christmas day after the food and games we shared who the recipients of our Christmas giving were. It felt very wonderful to know that we were helping others in a life sustaining way. Some of the family went in together and some gave individually. God is so good to us and we all felt good in sharing.

On Tuesday, January 6, I awoke with a start realizing that the house was empty except for me and Ron for the first time in several weeks. The commotion was over. The pizzas were eaten. Both bathrooms were ours. No extra shoes by the front door, no endless stream of mugs and glasses waiting to go into the dishwasher. Half empty pop bottles fill the refrigerator and the laundry is piled high. The ornaments are down but not put away. The Christmas dishes are still in the cupboard because I can't quite put them away.

I am going to use the Christmas mugs a little while longer.