We've had several inches of snow and it is still snowing. The trains are silent again. This is a good thing? I appreciate it anyway. I've spent zero time outside. Too cold and I'll start an asthma attack and end up taking too much stuff to stop it and then end up sicker than ever. I'd rather be out in it actually--but I can't. They are counting the birds tomorrow. Christmas bird count. I'd love to be out there. I'd love to see what hardy beauties stay the winter. I'll print the list when it's published.

AGGGHHH! A TRAIN JUST WENT BY! DAMN--er --good.
The house is decorated for Christmas. Actually the girls and my husband decided to do it all the day after Thanksgiving. We missed the Holiday Lights parade and party downtown--a whole two blocks long and only a half a block from our house--but it's always been fun. Don't know how we managed to forget it but they wanted to get in the mood for Christmas inside the house. Last night the girls mentioned how much they missed not going. I just sat there and became a nodding doll. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Best thing to do with teenage girls around Christmas. I told them to clean the cat box. They left the room. The cat box didn't get cleaned.

Last year the girls got so many cash and gift card gifts that my husband and I decided to take the girls to the day after Christmas sales in the near by larger town stores. At 6 A.M.. Five stores in under two hours.They got wonderful prices and loved what they chose--we went out after that to a breakfast place and stuffed ourselves as if we'd done a hard days work by 8 A.M. We all went home and and went back to bed--my husband and I vowing this would never happen again. This year--we did not give handfuls of cash (I can't stop distant family from doing what they wish). I chose lovely things I like. Heaven help them.

I have to make lunches for the girls confirmation class today--and I have to spot clean the public rooms because they are bringing home a friend from the confirmation class to spend the night and then Saturday go back to church to practice the Christmas program--which means the friends mother goes to our church and will cross excamine her on how clean (dirty) our house is. I've mnanaged to let only the pastor in our house in two years. Nothing shocks her. I'm sure it will be shocking enough to this young ones mind--the number of books in every room (EVERY ROOM)and artwork and other things. The 1950's toys on the bookshelf. The bird houses made from covers of my books .I can't wait. The church ladies made me President of the women's group starting in January. I guess they need to find out what they got themselves in to.