Christmas 2007

We started off the Christmas season Dec 2nd with a fun dance at the Polka Club. There are over 200 people in attendance dancing to the music by the Jim Ehrlich band. It was a nicely dinner catered by Boston Market. A pleasant surprise that all went smoothly and we all had some fun.

It was harder this year to stop the everyday train from speeding down the track. On Saturday Dec 8th, Stan, Jamie and I took a morning to deliver “Baskets of Joy” to a few of those senior folks in our neighborhood that are less fortunate than us. Early on a brisk snowy morning, we picked up a list of names and fruit baskets from a huge warehouse east of town. The place was a buzz with activity. Volunteers were lined up on both sides of tables in assembly-line fashion to fill thousands of gift baskets and wrap them in festive gold cellophane and ribbons. We hurried back home to Google the addresses and plan our deliveries. Stan made phone calls to let the seniors know we’d be coming. The first house had a bronze sign beside the front door about being an historic landmark as a former Colorado governor’s home in the 1940’s. A charming lady stood in the doorway dressed in her red and white hand knit sweater to cheerfully accept the basket. Her husband, a recent cancer patient, lingered just inside. The next homes were as expected, filled with such grateful people happy to be remembered, but living in marginal situations. As we tramped through the narrow streets of an old trailer park, we wondered how the homes could possibly retain warmth on such cold winter days. Singing Christmas Carols at each doorway lifted our spirits and removed the pressures of normal life events.

Stan and I topped off that day at Hal and Jean’s afternoon sit down chili supper for 20 or so friends from the polka club. We watched the snow gently falling in their backyard as we cozied up to chat and share experiences. We enjoy the weekly polka dances, picking the bands that most fit our taste. Stan mostly polka dances like he’s on a marathon and I do best I can to keep up until he flings me back down in my chair to rest.

I started reading Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet around Thanksgiving time when Oprah added it to her book club recommendations. It is a 971 page turner. Stan picked it up when I was about 200 pages into the book and speed right past me. I started vacation 12/17 so I could read in earnest. We both finished it on the 12/27. It is interesting to read the same book at the same time. We could compare where we were along the way without letting the cat out of the bag for the next exciting adventure.

John and Rachel came on the 20th. Their flight was so overbooked on the 19th that they took the offer for free tickets and waited a day. That gave me time to catch up a little.

I made a few batches of cookies between reading and tree decorating and we all had plenty to eat along the way. On Christmas Eve we took Rachel to the St Joseph’s catholic church for midnight mass. The service and singing were all in Polish. It was a treat for Stan as he sang along to Polish Christmas carols that he knew as a child. I’m sure it was a very different experience for Rachel.

We all visited the Hammond’s candy factory where they make candy canes from scratch. They day we were there, they were making coal for bad little children. The flavor is cinammon and turns your mouth blue when you eat it. Poor little bad kids.

We had a big snow storm on Christmas day to add to the festivities. After we shoveled and snow blew out driveway, we all jumped in the van along with the snow blower and spent some time shoveling the apartment.

Rachel and John left on the 26th. Stan and I were shoveling 10 or so more inches on the 28th. My idea is to hit the snow when it is soft and powdery before that moisture or ice set in. It’s more fun that way. Did I say Fun.!. Yes, invigorating.