CrossRoads Farm

Festivities Update

29 December, 2004 - 9:23 am

I’m sitting here staring at the blank page on my screen wondering where to begin. There are so many things to talk about since I last posted:
racial comments made by a fellow singer at the concert we did on the 23rd.
The rain and the roof leaking later that same day.
My crazy parents are always a source of entertainment.
I went to church on Christmas Eve.
Presents received.
The horse saga.

I just don’t know.

Let’s forget the horses because it just annoys me and I don’t feel like being annoyed.

Our roof leaks. We found this out on Thursday just a few hours before my parents arrived. It had been raining all day that day. It was just warm enough for the rain to be water but to freeze in spots on the ground. After dinner H and I went upstairs to take our showers and I heard water dripping in D’s bathroom. I assumed it was the sink faucet so I tighten them and went to start the shower. There it was again. Sure enough drops were coming in around the doorframe. Not quickly but steadily. Oh good.

Stacey, the woman who owns the horses had mentioned to me that the landlord had intended to replace the roof last summer but his wedding plans got in the way. Well, he waited one season to long in this case. D took a flashlight and peeked into the attic. There are a number of places that were damp and a couple where they are actually leaking. Should make for an interesting mud season.

The good news is that I am finally and completely on board. We have to find a better house to buy. I don’t want to winter here again if we can help it.

We had a busy Christmas Eve. I had promised myself I wouldn’t spend the whole holiday in the kitchen but it happened anyway. After dinner we played Scrabble and hung out by the fire. Waiting for H to finally go to sleep. She was just a little excited. I brought the gifts down and helped D fill the stockings; then I took my mother to a nearby Methodist church for the midnight service. I didn’t spontaneously combust or anything - though there was some singeing around the edges - I sang along with the hymns, of course, but I didn’t bow my head to pray or participate in communion. The pastor seemed like a very nice person and he was clearly delighted to see new faces in his congregation. Unfortunately the poor man does not feel comfortable in the pulpit. His sermon, now called a homily, was disjointed and he stuttered a bit and I’m not sure he had a point. It must be a terrible burden for a pastor to not be an effective preacher.

My alien children got up bright and early, just around seven, and told us they were going to watch TV until the grown up’s were ready. Would you believe them if you were us? Of course not. What 6 and 8 year olds could stand that kind of temptation. I heard squeals of delight echo up from the family room and then quiet. I got up and put on something warm to come downstairs in and there they were wrapped in blankets on the couch, watching Yu-Gi-Oh!, and waiting for the adults. Their stockings were still hung on their pegs. I couldn’t believe it. We were able to do breakfast and feed the chickens and get ourselves awake and together before coming out for the festivities without the constant, Simpsonesque badgering – “Is it time yet?”

The most bizarre present went to D. My grandmother gave him a Bud Light beer sign with a lamp and a clock. I don’t think D has ever consumed a Bud Light in his life and I don’t know where she expects him to hang that. My mother told me later that she tried to give the sign to my Uncle but he wouldn’t take it. So she wrapped it up and gave it to D for Christmas. Right.

The most amazing gift was for H. Nellie wrote both girls names on the tag to avoid fighting but I was there when Nellie found it. It is a Millennium Falcon from Star Wars big enough to put the action figures in. Not just any Millennium Flacon either this one is dated 1979. Nellie found it in a thrift store in Randolph for one dollar. She grabbed it and bought it and said “This is for H. – I just have to figure out how to wrap it.”
,p>Me? I got some pretty cool stuff. My favorites were both from D. he got me a little baby food processor. I keep it on the counter an easily accessible. Yesterday I made a frittata and cut up the ham and veggies with it in no time. And the other cool thing was a funky pair of martini glasses for my appletini drinks. Yes, I know I’m way behind on this particular craze but wow are they good.

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