Last letter before Christmas

Only ten more sleeps 'til Christmas. Anticipation is what I remember most of Christmases in the past – mostly of Pop putting the clock on the stairs and setting it for some terribly late time (probably 6am) before which we were forbidden to go downstairs to see what Santa had brought.  

 
This year, we are trying something a little different.  Annie suggested a secret Santa arrangement and, of course, there's an app for that.  So, we'll see how that works out this year. I'm still going to be the lone guy at the top of the stairs waiting for the 6am alarm to go off.

It has made the lead-up a whole lot easier.  We got our tree last Saturday, at a nearby farm where we got to pick and saw down the one we wanted.  Unlike Pomfret, the farmers gave us saws, so we had more than a Swiss Army knife to cut the tree we picked out.

Unfortunately, there is still only one ornament on the tree so far.  The workers putting in our new bathroom have blocked the crawl space where we store the Christmas boxes with table saws and radiators (remember, Joe?) and other assorted items.  The one ornament?  A wooden chair, that Lur found, to commemorate the chair Andrew and I designed and built for his senior year at Lawrenceville.  I have a sneaking suspicion that that chair is still there since it would be too heavy for movers to lift.

Speaking of Andrew and Lur, they saw Johanna this past weekend who was out their way for her in-person learning at Northwestern.  Andrew passed along her good news on the grades, and the plight of students trying to learn in this time of pandemic.  I understand there were free tests involved.

Down in Brazil, Joe and Lenor went through the painful process of moving house.  No rest for the weary couple who had just managed to see two parents out of town before they took on this ordeal.  Anyway, they survived.  Tomorrow, they head over to Portugal for the holidays.  Leonor sent around ultrasound pictures of the baby, in color no less!!  Oh my.  What a miracle.  Comments from the sisters included references to resembling Thomas.

Erin who is even further along must also have her own collection of these photos.  A different kind of anticipation, and undoubtedly more consequential than a child's memory of sitting at the top of the stairs.

This past weekend, we went to Worcester for Mary's first swim meet in a long time.  She did very well, but looking forward to next year when she moves into a new age bracket for the Masters' events.  One small benefit for getting old.  

Trains, planes and automobiles this weekend.  Annie and Sankar taking the plane, and Margaret and Andrew and Simon braving the turnpikes.  John and Marilyn will also be braving the traffic to come north.  So, who's taking the train then?  Nobody I know, but I'm sure they'll be packed.

What this means is one full day of clean-up here and trying to put the rooms back together again as the crew clears outta here on Friday.  Mary and I have been hanging out in the basement, living out of suitcases, and kind of enjoying a change of scenery. I did say kind of.  What we enjoy more is seeing the progress each day, although Mary keeps saying she's afraid to look.  But with winter approaching, we'll be glad to have a tub, to soak in after a day of x-country skiing or hiking.  

Look what's for sale – 550 Ridgefield Road in Wilton.  The outside looks recognizable, but I am having a hard time placing any of the interior photos.  I thought I saw a Locke lawn mower in one of the outbuildings.  And, while I'm at it, the Kroger home, our neighbors in Indian Hill, is also for sale.  Anyone want to take up a collection?  

And with that, it's a wrap.  Love from up here, and Merry Christmas….Kermit