I Love Christmas!

I was just sitting here working and thinking about the past week or two. I just love Christmas, everything about it. All the decorations, food, family coming in from everywhere, and just sitting and looking at our tree at night with no other lights on. And not having to work for a few days! I love watching people open the gifts I got them. And, okay I'll admit it, I love getting gifts myself. I got really good gifts this year - well I do every year. I got GC's and money, which I really like because I can pick out stuff, I got some disc golf gear - my new hobby, a hand-painted mug from Isabella, and then a really cool gift from Bennie and Justin combined. Years ago (20?) we got a Nintendo and my favorite game was Zelda - the original Zelda without all the dimensions and different angles and stuff, just the fun, simple Zelda. So anyway Bennie got me a game cube and Justin gave me his game that came with his (but didn't come with mine) that had the original Zelda on it, as well as other Zelda games. I'm in heaven! We've had good visits from all three boys, Vanessa and Megan, and sweet Isabella, and we've visited other family. It seems like Christmas is a time to step away from your everyday life for just a few days. And then, New Year's is right around the corner. I have to work today, but then not again for five more days! Did I mention I'm in heaven?

Hitchcock's in the Neighborhood

Something strange just happened that I thought I would share. I was sitting here at my computer this morning, a little after 7:00, working on my transcription. Bennie was still asleep. So as I was working I started hearing these little murmurings, like soft voices or something. I would stop typing and listen, thinking maybe it was the TV and Bennie was up, but then it would be quiet again. I would go back to work, and again hear these little whisperings. Then, I realized it must be a mouse. So again I stopped work to listen, but it wasn't quite the mouse noises. And then all of a sudden the whisperings/murmurings got a little louder, and then got a little chirpier. And it was coming from outside. So I got up to look out the window and parted the blind - that's when I saw it. Our backyard was black with birds. I have never seen anything like that. Apparently we have a lot of bugs or something in our yard because they were all picking at the grass for something. I watched a while and gradually they would move over to our neighbor's yard, a few flying up at a time. So after a little while I went to our other window to see them next door, and I noticed across the road in the vacant cornfield was the motherload of black birds. And - contrary to popular cliches - they weren't all the same. There were black ones with brown heads, black ones all over, and speckled grayish ones. It was a sight! Now, back to work.