Home

[juanitalinda]

My parents just love Christmas ... outdoor lights, wreaths, big Christmas tree, candles .... the whole works. Like others have mentioned, that task seems more difficult and time-consuming every year.

My mother invites the family over on Thanksgiving to watch the games and have a big dinner. Or so she says ....

When we arrive she has lists of things for all the kids and grandkids to do, including any friends that might have shown up. Pretty soon the boxes have been carried downstairs, the lights and trees are up, etc.

She holds the turkey hostage until the decorations are done to her satisfaction. We all wait for the moment when the turkey comes out and she says 'The turkey is done, but it has to rest for 15 minutes before we can carve it. Plenty of time to get the wreaths on the gates outside'.

Clever mom ....

And then when New Year's comes ... she invites us over to watch more football and have roast beef dinner. You guessed it ... no food until all the decorations are put away.

It's actually great fun and a wonderful way to keep conversation going and introduce new friends and family members to each other.

The embarrasing part is that it took me a few years to figure out what she was up to. When I asked her about it, she just laughed and said she was slowing down physically but not mentally!