A cute Christmas story from This Ain't Hell.

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 19:22:06 -0500

It is Christmas time
JD Pendry | December 13, 2015 | 5 Comments
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Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Luke 2:11 (NIV)

It started at the post office. Suzie-Q sent me out for stamps so we could mail out our annual bale of Christmas cards. Yes, we still do that. I was standing in line with a number of others attending to their Christmas postal needs. While I was waiting, I looked at the display case filled with samples of available stamps and decided the Magi stamp and the Virgin and Child stamp would be the best choices.

Other stamps displayed right beside them were Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Both dead from drug overdoses yet honored with a U.S. postage stamp and right there beside of stamps honoring the birth of the Christ child. Maybe better in a case with pop music stars that died from drug overdoses. That could be a whole collection by itself. Do not get me wrong, a teenager from the 60’s I have the whole Janis Joplin Pearl collection and would enjoy listening to it right now. Never was very taken with Hendrix though. I mostly remember his ear splitting ode to Purple Haze LSD. Excuse me while I kiss the sky.

By the time I got to a clerk, she told me they were out of Magi stamps. She only had a couple books of the Virgin and Child. I left with those two and Peanuts, Charlie Brown Christmas stamps. If you are on my Christmas list, you may have received a card with Snoopy taking aim at the Red Baron.

When I got back home, it was time to haul out the decorations. This year the granddaughters are coming so decorating required a little more effort. Somehow, I talked myself into buying a lighted reindeer and sleigh to put out into the front yard. In China, some guy is laughing at me. I am certain of that and I probably have some toxic illness from wrestling those things around the garage floor. By the time they were assembled and out into the yard, the garage floor and I were covered with gold glitter. Did you ever try to vacuum sticky glitter from a garage floor? Did your wife ever make you get undressed in the garage? There just seems to be no gratitude for the work I do. With that and other decorations out, I had to bring the tree in. No, I am not going to speak about a box filled with tangled lights. Mine never tangle because I roll them into one gigantic ball. If you try this at home, do not plug the giant ball of lights into the electric outlet otherwise the neighbors may think there has been a nuclear attack.

As I was putting the tree where the Secretary of War directed, I peeked out the window at the reindeer. Something did not look quite right I just could not put my finger on what it was. I continued working. After the tree was up, I noticed Suzie-Q standing in front of the window with her head tilted sideways. I inquired and she responded, I think one of those deer has his antlers on upside down. In defense I declared, well that is what happens when a Chinese guy writes the directions.

Today, after Church I was out on the patio grilling steaks for lunch. Now I have been known to clear the snow from the grill, but today it is 70 degrees. Yes, in the middle of December. The inconvenient truth is that it is the El Nino affect Al, not global warming. Sometimes that means a heavy wet snowstorm at some point and in other years warm and dry with some wind. In either event, now is the time for me to perform maintenance on the generator.

We have secured all the gifts. Some people got those warm heartfelt plastic gift cards. Since people always scratch the prices off of the gifts they give, we decided this year to not put a receipt in with the gift card. We bought the ones that can be set from $25 to $500. Now remember, it is the thought that counts.

From Suzie-Q and I, have a blessed Christmas and may your dreams be realized in the New Year.

© 2015 J. D. Pendry American Journal All Rights Reserved

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 13 at 2015 7:23 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 19:23:48 -0500

hanks SGT Private RallyPoint Member for sharing your personal Christmas preparation story.
I collect postage stamps by the way and appreciate almost all postage stamps produced by USA, Great Britain and pre-castro Cuba,
May the Lord bless you and each member of your family with a thoughtful and wonderful Christmas.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Dec 13 at 2015 9:10 PM

PO1 John Miller — Sun, 13 Dec 2015 21:10:19 -0500

Thanks for sharing.