Beer, Tall Tales and Christmas Carols

It is dark out this morning; it is 23 degrees outside. This is one of those morning that I feel worn, worn-out. 

This is the holiday season and we feel like the poor folks in the Christmas Novella:

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens

Mentally we are fine.

Mom is off today but she has been up all night; I am not sure that she will be able to function with out going back to bed and getting up later in the day.

Next Sunday the kids are coming by to help me put up the Christmas tree. I have been putting it up one week before Christmas and taking it down January the second. That is Traditional for me. We did that at my mothers home in Pasadena; actually the families would drop off the kids during those two weeks and the kids would have the run of the home during those two weeks. Some would stay a week, some 2 or 3 days , some would stay just one day but someone or some kid would be there during those two weeks. Grandmothers sister would come by and help grandma in the kitchen (grandma and her sister both had long hair braided down their backs and looked very much like American Indians). A large tub of tamales would be available to anyone visiting those two weeks and cold beer would be outside in the garage where the men would gather and tell their stories. A Douglas Fir Christmas tree would be shipped in by rail from up north compliments of Betty Arrellanes mother. Betty was married to my uncle Danny who was a High School Principle in Pasadena. It was my job to water the tree and help put it up. Each piece of tinsel would hang down and not thrown at the tree; my aunt Marta was very meticulous when putting the tinsel on the tree. We had a least a dozen Christmas Carol books that we passed out from time to time to sing Christmas Carols.

Because of the cats here at home we have avoided putting tinsel on trees; tinsel is so much fun for a cat for the holidays.
 Tiger Lilly has her head on our small couch cushion sound asleep. She is our oldest and was the best mouser.