Now, We Can Have Christmas

I'm back. We had such a good time! Our good friend, Judy went with us and she graciously offered to take her van and Jay drove - 8 hours through some of the most boring countryside I've ever seen. Sorry, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

Kell and Cosette greeted us at the door and the aroma of Petit Jean Peppered Ham drew us into the house and to the kitchen.

We were there for a week, and every morning, Cosette had to pounce on me and play kissy-face until I made her get down. That puppy sure is a snuggle-bug!

On Thanksgiving, Kell roasted the turkey that she had "brined" over night - mighty moist and tasty. She also had two kinds of cranberry sauce, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, an asparagus casserole and gravy. Then, after all that started digesting, we had our choice of warm apple pie and ice cream or vanilla bean cheesecake. Quite a spread, and all of it delicious. I love to go to Kell's for Thanksgiving!

Then, on Saturday morning, we climbed back into the van and started home, in the rain, sleet, snow and fog. Poor Jay had to drive through all that until we were almost to Branson. After we had been home for an hour or so, it started snowing here, and we had a dusting on the grass by Sunday morning.

I spent a lot of time reading blogs yesterday. I had over 300 of them to catch up on. And, no, I didn't comment on any of them. Now, I'm caught up, though, and things can return to what passes for normal in my little corner of the world.

I am proud to announce that, except for one gift, I have finished my Christmas shopping. I didn't get up at 4:30 a.m. Friday with Judy and Kell and hit the stores. No. That's just too much for me and my poor old arthritic bones. I almost always do my shopping on line. It's just so easy and, so far, I haven't been disappointed.

Well, that's about it for me today. I'll try to think of something else to say in a day or two. I'm never without words for long.

Later.