I've had a visit from a Christmas elf this past week - an extra pair of hands and feet. The elf decorated the tree, did odd jobs to get the yard ready for winter, straightened up the garage and helped clean up the basement. I am embarassed to say that it had gotten entirely out of hand, so it was great to have someone give me the incentive - and hands and feet - to get it done. We took the back seat of the car plus the trunk full of 'stuff' to Goodwill on University, mostly holiday decorations.
When the children were young, I decorated the house for every season and particularly Christmas. Leah had a tree in her room with cat and dog ornaments on it. Our tree in the living room alternated each year between one with all birds - mostly cardinals or a blue and gold more formal tree. Someplace in every room was a Christmas tree - Vern even made me a wooden tree with about six arms to hang hand towels on for the bathroom. A bit of overkill, actually. But I loved doing it. In this house, one tree, with lots of ornaments - some from all of those trees. And with each ornament is a memory. Like the ones we bought for half price the day after our first married Christmas, at Central Hardware in St. Louis coming home from Marshfield. Some ornaments were gifts - sister Suzanne gave her sisters White House ornaments when she was working at the Pentagon in D.C. And I usually bought a Christmas tree ornament when we traveled. "Memories are made of these."
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Yesterday we drove up to Whitewater, Wisconsin to see granddaughter, Ellen - I know she goes by Elle, but she is still Ellen to me. We went to see her senior art show - she graduates this month. She is amazingly talented. The gallery was filled with several students art, some whimsical and some disturbing, but very interesting to see. Very enjoyable evening.
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When we got to the toll booth just before Beloit the cost was $1.90, I was shocked, the last time it had been a dollar toll. On the way back I asked the attendant when the price had gone up, he said the first of January! That means it had been over a year since I had gone North. Where have I been? Obviously not Wisconsin!
Another thing I noticed coming home in the dark. All of the giant windmills on the landscape have red or white lights on them at night. Pretty cool, particularly this time of the year.
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Every year, the Christmas season begins for me when I go to the Orpheus Winter Concert. This men's chorus celebrated their 110th year this year. Always enjoyable. Last year, I added a song to my Christmas playlist when one of the men soloed "Mary, Did You Know". I ordered Clay Aiken's version on I Tunes. At this years performance, one of the chorus sang "This Little Child" by Scott Wesley Brown. Take some time to listen to his version on You Tube. Beautiful!
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