Santa Clause came to the country

Wow is Christmas over for another year? On Christmas Eve mom and dad came to the house to see our tree and how well Tweek can climb up it. They brought a venison roast with them and we had an early dinner before Andrew went to work. I watched a movie with the cat and stayed up late reading. Andrew came home about 8:30 and after a quick breakfast and shower it was off for presents. I took out booty to Mom and Dad's.

Andrew liked all his presents I think. I went to Urbana University a few weeks ago and they were having a book sale and had just weeded the roman history section so I got him a half dozen books on Rome and Italy history etc. He also liked this gadget Mom and Dad got him that opens wine bottles. He was also careful not to leave his candy keg* when he went to work in the late afternoon.

I got an ice cream maker so I can try to make ice cream with my lactaid milk and various frozen treats. Breyers has a lactose free ice cream but I am suspicious I picked up some and will try it later.

I also got the latest homestead longaberger basket and mom picked out the cutest liner for it. It's on my nightstand now, another Christmas present from Andrew, matching nightstands for our bedroom. He put them up in no time and they make the bedroom so much nicer.

The big surprise though was hidden in the back of the tree (because Dad told mom to hide it from me)

Inside the big box was a classic kitchenaid mixer!!! The stand kind!! The "now I can make any baked good on the planet kind!" It is so cool. I'll be breaking it out this week.

And last Friday I finally got my camera out of the box and it is just about, but not quite completely beyond me. I hope to take it outside on Thursday--the weather is supposed to be fairly nice. I've taken a lot of pictures of the cat so far. There is a lot to learn on it so I will be spending a lot of time experimenting. There is the ability to change a lot of things on my own when I am ready. For now though it's about mastering all the basic settings.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


* A Candy Keg is a Perdue family tradition. When my Dad and his four brothers were little my Grandma Perdue would keep and empty quaker oats canister for each of them, wrap it in wrapping paper and fill it with their favorite candies. So each keg had the same candy with favorites mixed in. I imagine there are few unbreakable rules in a house with five boys but one was never touch another's candy keg.

Grandma doesn't do the candy kegs anymore, Mom does and Andrew gets one too and guards it ferociously around Dad and Uncle Barry.

Since I put out blog address on the Christmas Cards

I figured I better but something up here during the mont of December. I managed to take a somewhat wintry picture for the cards and even though we haven't had much snow it has been very cold all week. I have been working at the bookstore 5 to 10 hours a week. It's fun to help people find gifts for the chilren and teens in their lives and I get a bit of Christmas shopping done myself.

Andrew and I have spent some time working on things around the house. Glamorous thinks like changing light bulbs, water and furnace filters, and general housework. Even with a new house there is always something to do.

Tweeker who hasn't been a vigorous eater--he has never been one to hound us in the morning to get up and feed him, has been cleaning his dish and crying for more. Part of the winter chill I guess. He is starting to get too fat to jump through the stair banister spokes.

Last weekend we went to winterfair and saw many neat booths. Wildlife photograpy, pottery and wood turned items were my favorite spots.

All for now, J