Christmas 2007

Over and done, all that madness and build-up and fun and smiles. The packages are unwrapped, the food eaten.

Oh, the excitement! The anticipation. The quivering of joy!

Christmas Eve brought a touch of foreboding as my husband came home from work. "I don't feel well," he announced. I plied him with Zicam, vitamins, over-the-counter symptom relievers and Tylenol, to no avail. This morning he lies in the bed with a fever, which he developed Christmas morning.

I am trying to nurse him and stay away from him at the same time. I actually slept on the couch last night and left him the bed, though I got up several times to check on him. I am highly susceptible to things and an illness puts me under a long time. My immune system is not the best, and he is not the greatest at covering his mouth when he sneezes or otherwise keeping his germs to himself. I love him but I do not love his virus!

Aside from this bit of misfortune, we had a nice holiday. Christmas Eve was blessed with a visit from my great aunt, who is 87, my aunt (who brought my great aunt from the assisted living facility), my cousin, his wife, and their baby. Such a busy child! She was a sight to behold.

The rest of the day was relatively quiet. I tried to keep the husband full of liquids and resting, which is a little difficult at the moment because we have a sick calf in the barn. Someone has to feed it and that means it needs to be lifted up and forced to stand several times a day. Unfortunately I haven't the strength to lift it so this is not a job I can do.

As for presents, I received an ipod nano from my husband, my first ever music player like this. I spent some time putting my CDs on it, and it now has 165 songs I can listen to. From my other relatives I received clothing, wooden spoons as a result of my unfortunate incident with peanut brittle, and towels.

My brother gave me DVD of the first season of the Mod Squad, which when I was a child was must-see TV. A little bittersweet because he is one of only two people who would know such a thing, and I didn't see him this year even though he only lives six miles away. I did see his children in a Christmas play Sunday night.

We had a nice visit with the in-laws, and a good meal of meatballs and fried shrimp. The nephews, who are 13 and 16, almost 14 and 17, and both polite young men who are a credit to their parents. They showed me how to use the ipod.

But now the holiday is over - and it's all done until next year!

I hope the day was wonderful for everyone.