The jolly fatman has come and gone once again.

Christmas this year was kind of bitter sweet. I love to see the joy and anticipation of a child. It is sad to see that child as an adult who has out grown that innocence. It is sadder still to see a parent who wants to make their children's Christmas even bigger than their parent's made theirs.

When did we lose sight of the magic?

For the first time in several years, our crew was all together zans one. It is amazing to see what the must be present to win requirement does for attendance. Addie had been at her Dad's since earlier in the week and Kali, Merrit and Kali's friend were coming to retrieve her, stop by for Christmas at Trc's and then return to Angelo to have Christmas. Kali's friend, Scott, was not feeling too well when they stopped by our house. Before it was over he had gotten sick and Kali had his shirt in the dryer trying to dry it. I loaned him a shirt but it was a poor fit as he is much much shorter than me. Finally, after about an hour delay and fifty-seven thousand questions by Addie about when we were going to Kathryn's house, we made our way over. Trc had already been by and retrieved one load of food and presents. We had another load and the turkey and ham. Once we were there, everyone was anxious to eat. For a brief time we were very popular until everyone's stomachs were stuffed. Kali, and Merrit were very fitful as they wanted to have the tree and get on down the road. I realize their predicament, but we didn't force them to come by and it wasn't our fault she had to do laundry. Sometimes, it happens. Live with it.

Krl and I have discussed the possibility that these Christmas' may be few and far between when we are home. I think that it may become standard for our friends to produce eighty-five to a hundred thousand bales of cotton. This year was an oddity in that there was very little dryland cotton harvested and they still almost did sixty thousand bales. Add to this the fact that there were several producers who didn't start a single well. I think they were farming dryland just for a tax write-off. Wow, that's how I used to farm trying to make a living!

In the future we may change our program. First thing I would like to do is make it a qualification for an invitation to our Christmas you must have participated in our Thanksgiving project, feeding the crews. This isn't like feeding homeless people, but these people are displaced as well. It is amazing to see the communication gap be bridged by smiles and gestures of kindness. Second, I would move Christmas from Christmas. Oh, we could keep it close, slide it a week one way or the other, but move it to make attending easier. Instigate a spending limit. Personally I would like to make it that what gifts you gave, you had to make them. It could be crafts, it could be candies, it could be as vast as your talents are! All of us would be watching Martha Stewart!

Just some thoughts.

As was anticipated, the meal was delicious. Way too much food, lots of left overs. I would bet Trc's crew fixes that left over problem. The three most popular items were the rotelle w/sausage dip, the deviled eggs, and the little smokies pigs in a blanket. All FINGER foods! I had scolded Krl for making such a large tray of deviled eggs, but she was right once again. She knows her family's palates. I thought the pigs in a blanket would be good later in the evening, but they were devoured with the meal. We had done a two pound and one pound of rotelle dip. Two pounds of velvetta and a pound of sausage and it made it through the meal and into the evening before being scraped clean! In stark contrast to what Krl and I have become accustomed too, we did only a twelve pound turkey and a five pound half ham (spiral cut). Normally, we are doing eight half hams that weight twelve or thirteen pounds each and the seven turkeys are weighing twenty. I guess the big difference is that at Thanksgiving the meal is eaten primarily by males while the Christmas meal was consumed primarily by females. Carnivores!

I did make an early Christmas morning jaunt to my parents. It was very quiet and calm. Only Mom and Dad were there. Mom was in a tiz, she didn't believe she had ever been that far behind, cooking and wrapping! Big woo! She is entitled. It was a weird Christmas as Tj and Et and their family remained in South Texas, I heard they were hosting Et's family Christmas. Coach and his family had gathered at Colby's because Colb was on call delivering parts to the operating room. Coach and Kirb did drive out to give Mom and Dad their Christmas. Kirb began trying to fly out Sunday night to Boise for UM's bowl game, this coming Sunday night. Pat and her family were in town, and were expected at Mom and Dad's. I never heard what Fred's family's plans were.

I suppose the holiday is over. I guess I had better get some clothes on and find a job. Actually, I will probably make the rounds and put some feelers out, but devote the rest of the week to generating end of year reports. I still have obligations to my current employer even though I have worked myself out of a job. If I can get the quarterly reporting done and print the w-2's and 1099's, I can pack the office up and ship it!

If you haven't done something noteworthy this year, time is running out!

FATHER, surround us with YOUR presence.