Charley, you can open the box, the gifts inside are well wrapped. There's one there for your Mom. She was so kind to us on our travels and we never sent her a thank you card for the use of the room.

Actually we never sent thank you cards to anyone who helped us out while we were on the road. I want to correct that poor behavior now.

THANK YOU!

Sandra, your card and gift arrived today. Thank you. I can't wait to open it but Wakana has gotten into the spirit of the holiday. She can't wait to open gifts but will not allow anything to be opened early. There was a card attached to a gift from my parents and she insisted that we should read the card. I knew that the card, being taped to the gift, had to do with the gift but she prevailed and I let her open the card. Now we know there is a tray inside. I think my father made it. There was a comment about nostalgia for the farm and reminding Wakana to nag me about bringing her back there.

Libby, you don't want to get me started on the hypocrasy of religions. That's a topic that has encompassed the best of humanity and the absolute worst. I am thoroughly disgusted with my fellow humans when it comes to that subject.

The Christmas packages are arriving hot and heavy though we should be about done. As seen above I now know there is one coming from Charley but my family is all accounted for. My parents sent one that arrived with torn paper so we opened it. Well, I opened it. I think Wakana would have been willing to tape up the tears and pretend she couldn't see what was in there. It was a little snow shovel painted with a snow scene and decorated with wire and beads. It doesn't appear functional. Too light. But it is pretty and Wakana is charmed. It will have to go with the 'FROST HEAVE' sign we brought back from Maine on our last trip. I apologize to all those people who were not warned about that bump before they hit it at whatever speed they were making at the time.