(this was written on December 19th and I forgot to post it – old age in action)

Tomorrow one of my girls turned 72. I’m pretty sure it’s OK for me to share that information because she isn’t sitting next to me right now.

From my perspective, every day with her is a blessing to be treasured. So, the older she gets the happier I am. It doesn’t hurt, either, that she gets prettier every day, and she’s just plain fun to be around.

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For those moments when my security is in doubt, I got her a new coffee cup to (hopefully) remind her what’s important.

Happy Birthday, my Love.

On December 8th I joined My Girls on a trip to Christmas Mountain to select trees suitable for installation in our homes. We needed two of them – one for the Walters’ home, and one for ours. Normally shoppers ride around in a tractor-pulled trailer exiting in the forest of the desired kind of tree. Then we’d tromp around in the mud, or snow, to pick out the perfect one then say a little prayer before sacrificing it with the help of a bow saw made specifically for the occasion.

Once cut we’d drag it out of the forest to the side of the road and attach our tag to it, leaving it for the crew that roams the pathways looking for cut trees which they return to the binding station. That’s where they stick the bottom in a shaker to dislodge all the loose needles that don’t need to go home with the shoppers, then they attach it to a claw that drags is through a clever machine that wraps the tree up all nice and tight for the trip home.

Then we take them home and install them in the perfect spot in the living room, fill the stand with water, and cover it with lights and ornaments we’ve gathered from all over the world. Fortunately for me, Diane loves hanging all that stuff on the tree so I get to sit in my chair and watch the process. It always turns out perfect.

This year we added a security device to ensure the tree isn’t disturbed and to ensure it has an adequate supply of water.

In preparation for decorating outside, Jeff created a new hat so he could talk with the aliens surrounding us.

Little did he know that it actually worked, drawing in an eclectic array of beings from around the universe. So far I’ve only been able to capture one with my camera. I’ve noticed it lurking around the garage for some time now but never with it’s eyes open. When their eyes are closed, you can’t really see them. I haven’t talked with this one, yet, but I will …

A couple of days ago Diane drove me to the VA Clinic in Hilsboro so I could talk with the hearing aid doctor about the difficulty I’ve been having stuffing the right unit in my ear. It seems that my right ear hole is smaller than the left one.

On the way home Diane stopped by the Franz bread store to pick up some cheap bread and we found this …

Kind of interesting, we thought, so we got some. My guess is that some politically correct group objected to the Bimbo brand and caused the bread people to come up with this as a compromise. It’s pretty good bread, but I feel exposed when I eat it.

On the home front, building has begun in the development below us. An office unit was added a month or so ago, then landscaping was added to make it look appealing to whoever might be standing on the front side. They didn’t do anything to make it more appealing to we who must stare at the back of the office unit, but that’s OK.

Next to the office is going to be, I believe, one of the model homes. Perhaps the only model home. I’m not sure if there will be more. An excavator dug out a few dump trucks full of red dirt and a group of people scurried around in the raid erecting the foundation forms for whatever house will sit on it.

I’m thinking of cutting down that middle apple tree so I can more easily watch the progress.

That’s all I have for today. I probably won’t be back until after Christmas so hope yours is a good one.

Cheers