It was a really great visit with Tim's parents and they seemed thrilled we came. I haven't been off on Christmas Eve in quite a few years and it was nice to go. They still live in a huge seven bedroom house for some reason...guess to remind them of the pain of raising six boys and two girls. Massey and I wandered into the library and hunted for books. Found an old Bronte novel and two more Massey wanted to read. The room most probably has five hundred books in it. Filled with everything from Readers Digest condensed books to an original Marvel comics Star Wars edition magazine. Their kitchen is huge, has a dining table and a booth off to the side to seat four more. Massey and I sat at the booth and my oldest TJ joined us to eat.
Much to my surprise Paw Paw joined us at the booth with his plate and sat down. He usually eats at the big table. It was delightful to have him all to ourselves. TJ talked about his upcoming move to Australia, Massey talked about college and Tim, from the table behind us said "Dad, Kelly has an offer for a new job." We talked about it all. How smart TJ was to live life large, how proud we were of Massey and how I couldn't turn down this offer to try something new. Tim's dad is a quiet man but opened up tonight. I think this was my favorite Christmas with them and have been with Tim since 1988. He agreed that if I didn't try I would never know and thought I was cut out for the job.
When we left to go to the in-laws we sequestered Ziggy into the spare bedroom (nothing but a bed and a table with nothing on it) and shut the door.
We got home and Ham and Charlie were both laying in the dining room. I went upstairs to let Ziggy out. You would have thought I was there to release him from a Turkish prison. I couldn't even open the door because he chewed the carpet up, the foam padding up and was currently working on the sub flooring.
He flew out of the room bobbing his head with the happiest smiling face I have ever seen on a totally destructive dog.
Here's my thing. Number one...Yep we gotta get him a crate. But it's Christmas and have raised three kids in this house. My kids have broken chandelier panes off the dining room light with boxing gloves. They have punched holes in closet doors during wrestling matches. They have broken three of my windows with golf balls and footballs. They have torn off my railing on the upstairs steps during another throw down with neighbor kids. They have wrecked their own cars and totaled one of mine.
You had them.You own them, you gotta love them.
We are big balling this Christmas. Paid cash for everything, only have one check to cover and I work on Wednesday.
It's been a tough three years. It's also been an awesome three years. That may sound crazy but in the past three years I have learned about Karma...to old farts like me...It's the Golden Rule.
I am almost embarrassed by how lucky I am but can tell anyone reading this blog..."It's true in my book, what comes around goes around."
If the world could only learn the Golden Rule...it would be a better place.
Merry Christmas!!
Til next time...COTTON
No comments:
Post a Comment