“The RoseBouquet”

First off, I want to wish you a Blessed and Happy New Year, with enough prosperity to meet all your needs and to share with others. Even if big changes should come, may they all turn out for your good!

I hope the Christmas season has been very special for you too, with both good things and people happening to you.

In my case, I’ve been battling a head cold and what I now think is infected tonsils. I’m feeling much stronger this week, but my voice still sounds raspy and awful. Last week I managed to get out to do a bit of shopping on Christmas Eve (I really only had one brother to shop for). Then I took elk meatballs to Tom’s place for supper, and cleaned up his muddy bachelor floors before we drove to his church for the candle-light service.

On Christmas Day I drove all the way to my home church in the morning, and then dropped in on my dear prayer friend, Kathy. We exchanged gifts.

I had put a 12 lb turkey in the oven at home in the morning. When I turned my key in the back door I realized that I should have hurried home a bit sooner. the bottom of the turkey was rather crisp and dark. Well, a well-done turkey is easier to take out of the roaster in chunks. It fell apart. When I had that in a warming tray and had mashed the potatoes cooking in the crock I phoned Tom and told him to get his veggie on, as I was going to be there in about ten minutes. I made the gravy and packed all my food stuff and gifts in large bags, and got into the car.

We were eating our Christmas feast by 2 pm. It tasted fine, but I was nursing a cross-eyed headache, and because Tom smokes (when I’m not there), the air in his apartment was very dry. He loves all the Christian TV programming he gets now that he has this MAX deal from Sasktel, so we watched some good Bible story dramas.

But about 4 pm I said I really would like to go home and put my feet up in my recliner. That’s a treat I usually only allow myself on Sunday afternoons.

Once home I did some dishes and put the rest to soak. By 4:30 I was in my chair and I slept right through to nearly 11 pm. An eight hour nap can do wonders!

Now when anyone asks me if I had a good Christmas I reply sheepishly, “Yes. I had a nice meal with Tom, and a good, healing eight-hour rest.”