25 December 1999

Yes, it's Christmas! A very merry happy holidays to all my readers!

I woke up at 4:00 as expected this morning, but it wasn't the usual excitement. I wasn't completely asleep - dozing on and off and snuggling warm and cozy in my bed, wondering when the cat was going to come demand breakfast. Suddenly, there was this loud clattering noise. In the dark, it was hard to place the direction, and Matt and I both sat straight up.

I'd been more awake than Matt when the noise happened, so I figured it out first, and got out of bed to check. Aye-yup! The bottle of shampoo had fallen over in the shower and clattered on the tub floor. I left it there and went back to bed. Time check: 3:57am. It's just not fated that I sleep until a reasonable hour on Christmas.

I tried for a while to go back to sleep, but as expected, I couldn't. I kept wishing the cat would come in and give me an excuse to get up, but I finally just gave up and got out of bed and went downstairs. TNT's latest showing of A Christmas Story had just started, so I wrapped myself in a blanket and watched it, dozing during the commercials.

Now it's 6:30, and I only have to keep myself amused for another hour or so until I can wake up Matt. (His first present to me, last night in the car on the way home, was that I could wake him up whenever I wanted. My first present to him, in return, was a promise that I'd wait until at least 7:30.)

We had a nice day yesterday with my family. It even snowed! Not enough to get me a white Christmas, but I got some pretty pictures of the snow clinging to ivy leaves.

We spent a lot of time repeating ourselves in loud voices for my grandparents, who have to know what everyone said even if they weren't being spoken to at the time. I love my grandparents dearly, but if I had to spend more time with them, I think I'd go bananas. At least Grandmom didn't insist on going to church.

My parents' neighborhood has a tradition for Christmas Eve, that everyone lines their yard with luminaries - the homemaker's club sells kits of bags and candles and donates the profits to charity. If everyone along a stretch of road participates, the results are simply gorgeous in an ethereal sort of way. The cul-de-sac my parents live on is pretty enthusiastic about it, so almost every year the whole street is lined. (Neighbors usually chip in to help cover yards for people who are out of town, just to avoid spoiling the effect.) I'd have taken pictures if my camera was better in dim light.

We piled into two cars and drove around the neighborhood, looking at the luminaries and decorations. Not long after we got back from that, Matt and I decided to go home.

Hey, it's getting lighter out there!

I need to go get out a few cookies for Matt - his family tradition demands cookies for breakfast on Christmas morning.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!