PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES

It's hard to believe it's over. Just like that! After weeks of decorating and chosing just the right gifts and all the anticipation. It's over! What wonderful memories we have, though.

Christmas Eve afternoon my junque syster Sharron (a.k.a. Vintage Girl at Heart) came to visit bearing wonderful, scrumpdelishious goodies for MWHITW, a beautiful one-of-a-kind shabby angel made with love, two absolutely gorgeous vintage prints (one of which I had drooled over when I first saw it on her blog) and a decorating book. We had a wonderful visit. She was thrilled with her goodie box from us - containing totally thrifted and repurposed junque. Having a friend who understands and shares your passion for treasure hunting in thrift stores and yard sales (and the occasional dumpster or curbside trash pile) and who gets as excited as I do over receiving gifts from said sources, is truly a blessing!

Handsome, talented and incredibly funny son came for a lasagna dinner that evening. He was going to be spending Christmas morning with his girlfriend's family so we decided to exchange our gifts on Christmas Eve. He was also the recipient of a couple of my treasure hunting finds. MWHITW and I had come across a vintage wooden shoe shine kit on our last trip to Kentucky. It was the perfect gift for Ryan because he is the last of a dying breed that actually still polishes his shoes. The other treasure I bestowed upon him is a little less practical, however befitting of a newly graduated EMT preparing to embark on RN/PA training, and filled with some of those practical "mom" gifts. It defies description, so you'll have to see it for yourself.

They just don't make 'em like this any more! Tools of the trade! I'll bet NOBODY else in his classes will have one like it (or even know what it is)!

He and Celena gave me a much desired copy of "Hairspray". I've wanted to see it since it came out, but never got the chance. They gave MWHITW a thermos in the shape of a huge red shotgun shell with the explanation that he shouldn't be able to miss the target with this shell (there's a story behind that but we'll save it for another time). They also got him an air horn for his pickup. His big, beautiful truck had the wimpiest little horn we had ever heard. Well no more! It now has a horn befitting the big, beautiful truck it is. People will get out of the way in utter fear now - not just pull over to the side of the road laughing hysterically at that little wimpy sound coming from that big truck!

Part II of our gift from the handsome, talented son came later that evening at a Christmas Eve service at one of the local churches. He is an extremely accomplished musician and had orignially been set to go to a music conservatory to pursue a career in music. However, through a series of "clerical errors" on the part of a misguided school counselor . . . . enough of that! At any rate, I hadn't heard him play since his graduation in May and oh, how I've missed it. His grade school music teacher is the music director at a beautiful old church in town and had called him to see if he would solo for her. He said his first impulse was to say no, but then he thought about his mother and how much it would mean to her for him to play and how much money he could save if he called his performance his gift to her (hey, he's talented and smart!). It was beautiful! I cried as usual - that's' my baby all grown up!


Part III of our gift from the handsome, talented one is a future daughter-in-law! He and Celena became engaged on Christmas Eve! There won't be a wedding for at least 2 years, until he finishes his RN training, but I couldn't be happier. I always wanted a girl!

We stopped by our friends' (Jim and Janet) house on our way to the Christmas Eve service for a quick "Merry Christmas" to all and a "Happy Birthday" to Jim. Their house was beautifully chaotic. Three of their five grandchildren (all under the age of 3) were there - explanation enough for the chaos? It was a great visit!

Christmas Day was wonderfully relaxing! MWHITW and I lounged around in our PJ's for a good portion of the day, watched a couple of Christmas programs and just enjoyed each others company. We were joining Peggy and her family for Christmas dinner at 5:00, so there was no rush to do anything or be anywhere.

Dinner was wonderful as usual. We always enjoy spending time with Peggy and her family. They are the closest thing I have to family. Our kids have grown up together. We've shared some good times and some not so good times. The bond of Peggy's and my friendship has strengthened little by little over the past 23 years. Although there is no blood relationship between us, she is my sister in every sense of the word . . . a gift I will forever cherish. Peggy gave me the most beautiful collectible ornament in the shape of a vintage perfume bottle. I've never seen anything like it! I plan to look for a glass display of some type so that I can keep it out year-round. It is much too beautiful to pack away.

As beautiful of a holiday as it has been, I'm itching to pack the decorations away and get the house ready to put on the market. We've got a couple of major projects to finish (we've been living without a closet in the master suite for 6 years, but potential buyers may not appreciate the anbience of using vintage armoires) and some minor "tweeking" to do before it will be ready for a potential buyer, but there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. We're gettting just a little closer to beginning our incredible journey! Hey! If anyone knows of someone who is in the market for a reasonably priced, cozy, three bedroom, three bath house sitting on a 1/4 acre corner lot in Central Florida, send them our way!