Today is colder than yesterday. The clouds seem close. I’m glad to be inside, and I’m happy I have no plans to go out.
When Henry went out, I went on the deck for a minute or two. As I was going back inside, I noticed something at the bottom of the two steps below the back door. A closer look was a mistake. It was a flattened grey Mouse. I don’t know whether it was coming or going before its demise. I kicked it off the deck. I wouldn’t have thought Henry responsible, but he was sniffing the spot where the mouse had recently been lying. Maybe it is the first mouse returned but he was dropped over a mile away so I doubt it. Maybe it was going to be the third mouse stopped by Henry before it could get into the house. Either way, it’s gone to its heavenly reward.
Cross another item off the Christmas to do list. All the gifts are sorted into individual bags for each person. I was determined to finish, and I did. Today marathon wrapping begins.
When I was a kid, the only gifts under the tree before Christmas were from my parents, and they were always wrapped. We got to open one of them on Christmas Eve, my mother’s choice. It was always new pajamas. We whined, cajoled and begged to open different gifts, but that never happened. We were stuck with the pajamas. We were ungrateful whelps.
Santa’s gifts were never wrapped. They were grouped by kid around the tree. I remember one year it was my brother on the left, then me then each of my sisters. Our stockings were hung on the bannister. I can remember going downstairs and getting my first look at the tree surrounded by presents. It was always jaw dropping and pretty much stopped us in our tracks. In my memory drawer is one of those first looks. I remember pink doll furniture in the front, the bed covered in doll clothes. They were for my Ginny doll. I can still see the game of Sorry leaning on a doll cupboard. Books were on the floor in front. I don’t know why that one Christmas is what I remember the most because every first look on Christmas morning was just as spectacular. Santa was amazing.
