Christmas Eve Day
If everyone thought they were ready for Christmas during this mild December . . . not so. The winds have been howling during this last week. They were just getting geared up for December 23. It began mild enough in the morning with rain, turning to sleet and then on to ice. As the snow began in the forenoon, the winds from the north made sure none of it stayed in the same place, or perhaps it did the second or third time it was swirled around.
During the night I literally prayed the roof of the porch I was sleeping under would stay put. The awning that we have along the entire west side of the porch bucked and baulked. Every window in the house was froze over. What you can’t see, can’t hurt you. My ears were on overdrive.
This morning the sun was out greeting all those who knew what laid ahead of them for the day . . . moving snow, moving hard snow. Miraculously, the windows were clear of the majority of the ice. If it had been Christmas morning and not Christmas Eve morning as I was just barely awake, I would have sworn Santa was clumping around the living room by the Christmas tree. Naw, it was Dennis in his snowmobile boots coming to tell me he was heading out to play in the snow.
Our neighbor Randy had already made a path in our driveway. I had not heard a thing. I kept tabs on Dennis as I began my rituals in the house. He and his snow blower were doing a great job of getting in where Randy’s rig was too large. What I liked best was that Dennis was taking breaks in the patio porch and not letting himself get overheated or exhausted.
It is now four in the afternoon and things have settled down for us. The snow that needed to be moved has been and Dennis did a great job. You would think as warm as the weather has been, the concrete would peek out from the bright sun today, but the layers that the horrific wind applied is hard. I had a good run in the kitchen and am prepared for Christmas Day. The oven tasks today were making two pies. Dennis got to choose: apple and peach. I bought two quarts of peaches that our store carries: Amish Wedding Old Fashioned canned fruit. My quest was to have the pie not run all over the plate when cut. Tomorrow, time will tell. I made my own pie filling and used a fairly large tin I had in the pantry. Martha Stewart . . . don’t let me down.
The next best thing would be for Harriet to come home. She wanted out yesterday morning and with the winter weather, hopefully kept her sheltered somewhere and safe. Dennis would be thrilled to see that little gray fur ball come marching through the snow for home.
It is going to be a wonderful Christmas because my heart tells me so.