PopTop
12-22-2002, 12:16 PM
Canyon Lake, 22 Dec 02 - - - Mrs PopTop and I decided to do our Christmas this morning due to a somewhat crazy schedule we have coming up this week. The first time Patty May and I will have alone together on Christmas Day will be about 8:00 p.m. that evening. So this seemed the best opportunity we had to enjoy unwrapping each other's gifts.
I got a Waylon Jennings CD, may the old outlaw rest in peace, some sweats, socks and a stocking full of candy and office supplies. Oh, plus the toothbrush my mom gives me every year. But my best two gifts this year are Michael Chabon's new book Summerland, said to be a combinaton of Field of Dreams meets Harry Potter, and a new space heater for my workshop. The book will warm my soul; the new heater will keep my hands and tootsies toasty while continuing my apprenticeship in cabinet/bookshelf construction.
Patty seemed pleased with her new CDs, the bottles of lotions and oils from Bath & Body Works, the various clothing designed to keep her cold-natured body warmer and the little knick-knack Monkey-With-Fez piece I picked up for her to set on the mantle or some shelf I've yet to build. But, as usual, her highlight was the jewelry from James Avery, this year a nice silver bracelet. I've bought her so many things from James Avery, I now have to keep a little inventory in my wallet so I do not repeat gifts.
But the best gifts we gave each other this year was moving from the Houston area out to the Hill Country here at Canyon Lake. It's something we've discussed for some while now, and this year everything seemed to fall into place to make it a perfect time to do it. Never mind that some of those circumstances didn't really work out (i.e., our jobs) and I'm still making a weekly commute to Houston while she started over with a different company in the area. We got here and we'll never either look back or go back to the big city. And things are already making a shift for me as I'll begin shifting most of my work to the house with the new company I begin with just after we tack 2003 calendars on our walls.
And I guess we also got a new cat this year for Christmas. A little wild calico from the woods sort of adopted us after we moved into the new house. She's about a year old, weighed maybe 6 pounds when we first found her, or she found us as the case really was. We've named her Miss LoRetta Fluffy, calling her Missy for short. I've always believed in long, regal names for my pets. Most of my cats have been named for either baseball players or presidents. Our other two cats are both old former toms. Henry Aaron of Hamburg, better known as Henry, will be 18 next spring about the same time Dwight David Eisenmeower, best known as Ike, turns 17. Miss LoRetta is having a tough time making friends with these old cranky men. Especially Ike who, at nearly 18 pounds, absolutely dwarfs Missy and his hawkish talons have found their mark more than once.
It's taken me several months to get her to trust me enough to pet her. I had an old doe eating corn chips out of my hands faster than I gained the trust of this cat.
So that made it even worse this morning when I had to sort of trick her into the cat carrier in order to take her to the clinic to be spayed. After I coaxed her into the carrier and shut the cagey doors, her eyes screamed at me with fear, disappointment and distrust. Have to wonder how she'll react to me when we get her back from the vet.
The next few days will be a blur for me by the time I lay down to sleep on Christmas night. At separate times and in separate cars, Patty and I will have driven about 500 miles each by then, I will have made it through my final two days at my present job, where I will bid farewell to some people I've worked with along the way for some 25 years, we will see friends and almost all of my family in the Houston vicinity, come home to enjoy Christmas afternoon with almost all of Patty's clan, heard just about every holiday song 3-4 times, and drunk/eaten way too much. My head will no doubt hit my pillow Wednesday night like an anchor coming to rest on the bottom of the sea.
So considering my schedule over the next 72-96 hours, I'll take this opportunity to bid all of my Addicts friends a very safe and joyous holiday break. I'm especially very thankful to James for introducing me to the gang earlier this fall. The short time at this site has brought many smiles to my face in addition to the brain exercises I get when we discuss, debate and delight in the game of baseball. May the final week or so of 2002 serve as a springboard to a fabulous 2003 for us all. Hug as many friends and family as you can, smile even when it hurts and trade belly laughs with someone you've just met. Peace.
I got a Waylon Jennings CD, may the old outlaw rest in peace, some sweats, socks and a stocking full of candy and office supplies. Oh, plus the toothbrush my mom gives me every year. But my best two gifts this year are Michael Chabon's new book Summerland, said to be a combinaton of Field of Dreams meets Harry Potter, and a new space heater for my workshop. The book will warm my soul; the new heater will keep my hands and tootsies toasty while continuing my apprenticeship in cabinet/bookshelf construction.
Patty seemed pleased with her new CDs, the bottles of lotions and oils from Bath & Body Works, the various clothing designed to keep her cold-natured body warmer and the little knick-knack Monkey-With-Fez piece I picked up for her to set on the mantle or some shelf I've yet to build. But, as usual, her highlight was the jewelry from James Avery, this year a nice silver bracelet. I've bought her so many things from James Avery, I now have to keep a little inventory in my wallet so I do not repeat gifts.
But the best gifts we gave each other this year was moving from the Houston area out to the Hill Country here at Canyon Lake. It's something we've discussed for some while now, and this year everything seemed to fall into place to make it a perfect time to do it. Never mind that some of those circumstances didn't really work out (i.e., our jobs) and I'm still making a weekly commute to Houston while she started over with a different company in the area. We got here and we'll never either look back or go back to the big city. And things are already making a shift for me as I'll begin shifting most of my work to the house with the new company I begin with just after we tack 2003 calendars on our walls.
And I guess we also got a new cat this year for Christmas. A little wild calico from the woods sort of adopted us after we moved into the new house. She's about a year old, weighed maybe 6 pounds when we first found her, or she found us as the case really was. We've named her Miss LoRetta Fluffy, calling her Missy for short. I've always believed in long, regal names for my pets. Most of my cats have been named for either baseball players or presidents. Our other two cats are both old former toms. Henry Aaron of Hamburg, better known as Henry, will be 18 next spring about the same time Dwight David Eisenmeower, best known as Ike, turns 17. Miss LoRetta is having a tough time making friends with these old cranky men. Especially Ike who, at nearly 18 pounds, absolutely dwarfs Missy and his hawkish talons have found their mark more than once.
It's taken me several months to get her to trust me enough to pet her. I had an old doe eating corn chips out of my hands faster than I gained the trust of this cat.
So that made it even worse this morning when I had to sort of trick her into the cat carrier in order to take her to the clinic to be spayed. After I coaxed her into the carrier and shut the cagey doors, her eyes screamed at me with fear, disappointment and distrust. Have to wonder how she'll react to me when we get her back from the vet.
The next few days will be a blur for me by the time I lay down to sleep on Christmas night. At separate times and in separate cars, Patty and I will have driven about 500 miles each by then, I will have made it through my final two days at my present job, where I will bid farewell to some people I've worked with along the way for some 25 years, we will see friends and almost all of my family in the Houston vicinity, come home to enjoy Christmas afternoon with almost all of Patty's clan, heard just about every holiday song 3-4 times, and drunk/eaten way too much. My head will no doubt hit my pillow Wednesday night like an anchor coming to rest on the bottom of the sea.
So considering my schedule over the next 72-96 hours, I'll take this opportunity to bid all of my Addicts friends a very safe and joyous holiday break. I'm especially very thankful to James for introducing me to the gang earlier this fall. The short time at this site has brought many smiles to my face in addition to the brain exercises I get when we discuss, debate and delight in the game of baseball. May the final week or so of 2002 serve as a springboard to a fabulous 2003 for us all. Hug as many friends and family as you can, smile even when it hurts and trade belly laughs with someone you've just met. Peace.