December 6-10, 2018: Ron and Karl's Birthdays in San Antonio
	Return to the Index for 2018

Well, it has been an eventful year, with the highlight, of course, our trip around the world in 35 days. But now, nearing the end of December and the end of the year, we have one more event to chronicle- Christmas at home in Dallas. As usual, Fred has been at his Mom's for two days, and has spent Christmas Eve with his brother's house in Cleburne. But late on Christmas Eve he returned to Dallas to spend Christmas Day here.

We took a fair number of pictures on Christmas Day. The first group were taken after I'd put the turkey in the oven and we sat down to exchange gifts with each other. The second group of pictures were taken at dinner, when friends and neighbors joined us for supper.

Fred and I and the Cats Exchange Christmas Gifts

The Christmas tree has been up for about a week; Fred helped me set it up and decorate it before he left for his traditional Christmas visit with his Mom in De Leon, Texas, and his Christmas Eve visit to his brother's family in Cleburne. He usually returns late on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas Tree in the Living Room

For some years, I set up a full-size (artificial) tree in the corner of the living room. But without kids to enjoy it, and considering that I am not one to hold or go to Christmas parties, it was usually just Fred and myself, plus any guests that we might have over on Christmas Day, who would even get to see it.

So, years ago, the large tree was retired and the one my Mom used to set up in her own house began to be used instead. It's convenient to set it up on the coffee table. Other Christmas decorations are usually set out around the house, and the Christmas stockings are hung by the fireplace. These are not the stockings that Judy and I grew up with; way back when I was single and Ted and then Jennifer were born, I decided that they should become part of another family tradition, and I asked Mom to send both of them to my sister. The two I have are only 30 or so years old; I bought them shortly after Grant and I moved to Dallas (as I had no fireplace in Chicago).

I got up early on Christmas Day to get the stuffing prepared, actually stuff the turkey and get it in the oven, and start those things cooking that would take a while. While I was doing that, Fred fed the cats and did some of the cleaning and straightening up in preparation for our guests' arrival at four o'clock or so.

Once everything was basically set (a little after noontime) we could relax and turn our attention to the tree and the gifts piled underneath us. Not being kids anymore, the urge to tear into boxes immediately after getting up has totally disappeared (and the gifts have become so practical in nature that even if we were still kids, we wouldn't be in such a rush to open things, since we know that not one of the boxes would contain the latest toy or game.

Fred and I and the Tree Fred, Bob, and Cole Three Cats and I Open Packages

This attitude is far from uncommon among adults, so we are not the exception but the rule. Books, clothes, things to eat, and, from Fred to me, the latest collectible gold or silver mint coin, are the rule; practicality is the watchword. But everyone likes to open packages, and we are no exception.

As we did so, a few pictures were taken, like those at right and those below:

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As we open the gifts, we aren't too concerned with where we toss the wrapping paper and ribbons, which is just what the cats are counting on, and no sooner had we started opening things, most of them appeared.

Cole's First Christmas (Mouseover Image Above for Video Controls)

Cole is the kitten in the group; on Christmas day he was just over seven months old. So, as you might expect, he was the most active in playing around in the gift wrap once we torn it off the packages and tossed it on the floor. The other cats were around, but Cole was having the best time- especially considering that this was his first Christmas (no time to get jaded, I guess).

At left is one of the two movies I made of him this afternoon; there is another on the Cat Pictures page for this year. And below are three of the best pictures we took of the cats this afternoon as they were helping us open our gifts:

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Christmas Dinner

We had a nice large group of friends for this year's Christmas Dinner- and a couple of new folks who'd never joined us before. Greg, certainly by far the friend I have known the longest came by, as did our cat sitter, Lynne. Fred and I were also joined by Justin and Gary, our friends who alternate their time between Dallas and Natchitoches, Louisiana. Finally, we invited Floyd and James, the couple that live just across the driveway from me, right outside my front door. Floyd is a government contract specialist, and James, when his health allows, works in hotel management. We had a very good time at dinner, and took a few casual pictures. (We actually need to get back to the tradition we used to have of doing a formal group picture at any party or gathering like this; you have seen many of these kinds of photographs earlier in this album.) Here are this evening's candid shots:

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This last event of the year brought 2018, and the album pages for it, to a close. Although our next trip to Florida began before the end of the year, that trip will be the first event of 2019. We did a lot this year, what with the trip to Asia; we don't anticipate anything quite as extensive a journey next year.

You can use the links below to continue to another album page.

	December 6-10, 2018: Ron and Karl's Birthdays in San Antonio
	Return to the Index for 2018