Finally, after all these years, she writes. . .

In 1963 we owned a duplex on White St. in Champaign-Urbana, IL, and rented the upstairs to a young couple--he was also an architect, she was beautiful and artsy and their baby daughter adorable. It was a time of grief for us and they were such good neighbors. When we bought another house, we continued to see them. Somewhere I have a photo of them at a party we had at our Charles St. home.  They moved to Washington we moved to Columbus. We've been exchanging Christmas cards with her for over 50 years, but other than a seasonal greeting never got any news, except a photo or two of the daughter growing up and their divorce. Then today. Finally after all these years, a few lines; the grand daughter is getting married and the ex-husband lives in TX with his wife. In my mind's eye they are still a happy couple in their early 20s with a sweet baby and we're gathered around the tree in 1963.

On the first day of Christmas. . .

Actually, the first ten days of December we had eight events!  Everyone seems to have wanted to get a head start on the holidays.

Dec. 1:  Retirees from OSUL Christmas Lunch at the OSU Golf Club (I was hostess), Mary Jo, Eleanor, Graham, Gerry, Mary, Beverly
Dec. 2:  Birthday party for Rob and Lynn at the Depot
Dec. 3:  UALC SALT group brunch at Jane's; Carol, Kevin, Donna, David
Dec. 6:  Conestoga Christmas dinner at the Boat House Restaurant in Confluence Park, sat with Betty,  Jerry and Joan, Christine and John, and Harry
Dec. 7:  PDHC Christmas dinner and party at the Amelita Mirolo Barn in Upper Arlington, sat with "young people" who are instructors for teens in local schools
Dec. 8:  Dinner at the Rusty Bucket with Phoebe and Mark
Dec. 9:  Dinner with Rod and Judi at their home with Bruce and Marty
Dec. 10: Condo Christmas party at two of our neighbors' homes

Falls and the elderly

I've been nagging my husband about ladders.  I think we've got help at the lake house, but there's still the pesky storage for Christmas décor that is stored in the garage attic using precarious stairs that need to be pulled down. I followed my own advice, and decided to help him drag out the x-mas decorations from the attic by standing beside the ladder and making sure nothing stupid happened. One very large box fell and broke the lid. And while I was trying to grab it as it fell, I pulled my back a little.  But he's fine.

I think it's about time to go to the little tiny tree that sits on a table.