Christmas Day

Part of Christmas for us is putting a small Christmas tree on my parents grave.

  On December 15, 1996, my parents and my sister-in-law, Cindy

 were killed in an auto accident on Highway 88.

Really the defining moment of my life.

This year we went out to Calvary Cemetery in Citrus Heights and found

THE GRASS WAS BROWN!

Now, in the past I have been known to politely call and inquire as to WHY the grass

in not green.  As a person who paid full price for that cemetery plot,

and knowing that my father would be VERY angry about the brown grass,

I am quick to call.  I have also been known to throw all niceness out the window

and make my great displeasure known.

Frank, the poor soul in charge of Catholic Cemeteries for the

Sacramento Dioceses, knows me by name.

Tomorrow, I will call and inquire as to why the only green can be found

around the maintenance shed and under one tree.

I will be nice until I get the run around.

On a happier note, we have a 4-year old yellow lab named Hunter.  He is such a good dog.

My daughter bought him a football for Christmas.  She wrapped it and gave it to Hunter first,

before anyone else had a present in hand.

Before any one of us had our first present unwrapped,

Hunter had torn off the wrapping and chewed up the football.

He spent an hour tearing that football into little tiny pieces.

It was the best $1.00 spent!

I got a spectacular gift this year from my children.  It is an I-Pod. 

WOW!

I also got a Frank Sinatra CD with one of my favorite songs on it.

Strangers in the night exchanging glances

Wond'ring in the night what were the chances

We'd be sharing love before the night was through

Something in your eyes was so inviting

Something in your smile was so exciting

Something in my heart told me I must have you

Strangers in the night

Two lonely people

We were strangers in the night

Up to the moment when we said our first hello

Little did we know

Love was just a glance away

A warm embracing dance away

and

Ever since that night we've been together

Lovers at first sight

In love forever

It turned out so right for strangers in the night.

Sorry about the picture below being sideways.

A friend gave me this book.  I love reading cookbooks.

Perhaps I will learn to make jam!

I'm off to make pillow covers.  As I was taking pictures, I noticed that ours are pretty worn.