Let It Snow?

Yeah, that is not gonna happen this year in Central Texas on Christmas Day.  Probably competing with the folks in Australia for high temps today.  Their summer, our early winter.  My Hubby was remembering early this morning when he first arrived in Texas the Christmas of 1960.  He had left his army assignment in South Dakota by way of his home in Southwest Missouri.  There was snow in the ground in South Dakota, none in Missouri and 78 degrees in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.  He remembered being in shock at the temperature when he reported for duty at the missile base outside Dallas.  We are that warm again today. For sure, no snow.

We started the Christmas morning a little differently this morning.  Up at 6 AM to prepare a dish to be taken to a women's shelter.  As we really only needed to be up by 8 we would up having time to exchange our gifts and eat the quiche breakfast.  The Waldorf salad was prepared, proper dress and we headed for the little church that would be delivering the food.  We have not become attached to a church since our move but I am ready to commit to this little congregation.  It seems a good fit as it is a Reconciling Ministries church.  Any who, we met the small group of ladies that would be taking the food.  After introductions, some chit chat and a prayer followed by a photo op the group headed into Austin and the women's shelter.  Hubs and I headed to our little home.  A call and the plans changed to drop in on our little family as they were opening gifts with the DIL's daughter and father.  A cup of coffee and a cookie later, we left as they were ready for their breakfast.

After the short visit we drove by the home of a couple of Ham Radio operators just to view their antennae.  Now isn't that something that is pretty specific, antennae envy.  There was no visiting or saying hi just a drive by siting of towers topped by lengths of pipes that are tuned to receive signals.  Not a single one was decorated for Christmas or anything!  Just weathered aluminum, fiberglass, coax wire and nuts and bolts.  Great beauty in the eyes of the radio crowd!  After 50 years one learns to be excited by such things.

We were having to use the air conditioner in the car as the temperature mixed with the high humidity was uncomfortable.  Hubby commented on the temperature and spent some time figuring out that first Christmas day he came to Texas back in 1960.  Then it hit him that 56 years have passed since then.  Next we realized an engagement ring was placed on my finger 50 years ago in just a week.  His next comment, "Dang, I'm old."  Yes, and it beats the option.  And that option reared its head 9 2/3 years ago, April 20, 2007, in the form of a massive pulmonary embolism, a lung infarction and ruptured lung.  Let's just say we are choosing to celebrate life and not worry about the temperatures and lack of snow.

Merry Christmas!!!
Janice