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Borrego Springs, CA

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Presents

Didn’t really sleep in on Christmas Day.  I was providing the baked ham for our Volunteer Village Christmas Dinner here at Okefenokee.  I got the ham ready by scoring it to put in the cloves, and pat the brown sugar on it Monday afternoon, so it was easy to just slide it into the oven in the morning.  The holiday dinner would be shared by 12 volunteers, staff, and friends.  Santa’s gift to me on this day was a visit from two folks that many of you may know and follow.

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Fellow recent fulltimers and bloggers, Erin and Mui joined us for our meal.  Erin writes the Two to Travel Phaeton’s Journey.  Since they were spending some time near Jacksonville, Florida, I emailed her and invited them to join us.  Knowing that they were early risers, I suggested they arrive at the refuge in the morning so I could give them a tour before dinner.  The refuge was closed for the holiday, so we had the whole place to ourselves.  I believe they had a good time visiting the Chesser Homestead.

Eventually, all 12 people showed up for dinner, and the food was everything it should be.  What a grand time we had.  I just wish I had asked Erin and Mui more about their trips to Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands.  I hate it when the constant pain from my hip means I’m just not on top of things like I want to be.  Sad smile

As I was sitting outside early this morning with Emma for her first outs, apparently the incoming storm knocked out the electricity to the village.  I waited a while, and then cranked up the generator just before the skies really opened up.  It was more than three hours before power was restored, so the genny got a good workout for the month.

My second present for Christmas came in the mail today.  I normally only get mail delivery Monday through Friday, since the gates to the compound are closed on the weekends.  Well, because of the holiday, we haven’t had open gaits since last Friday.

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Along with a Netflix disk, I received my annual calendar from my brother Carl.  He chooses pics from my posts of the previous year, and fashions a hanging calendar for me each year.  Each month I get to reminisce about happenings in the not too distant past.  Cool beans!  I look forward to its arrival each year.

Tomorrow I’ll take the calendar into the VC to use a hole punch so I can hang it on my fridge.  Then I need to line up the kennel for Emma to stay at while I have my surgery and begin recuperating.

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Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

24 comments:

  1. Now that last calendar picture, is that a picture of you as a young lass, preparing for the future?

    Cool beans you got to meet Erin and Mui, they are great folks. It's amazing how our RV "family" crosses paths. :c)

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  2. What a unique (and personal) gift! And how appropriate that December should be "the end"... love it!

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  3. I really enjoy Erin and Mui's blog. They seem to be really nice genuine people.

    What a thoughtful Christmas gift. Bet he is going to take very good care of you.

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  4. What a nice Christmas. Wishing you a very Happy And Healthy New Year!!!

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  5. Oh Lucky Erin and Mui! A private tour and everything. I am not the least bit envious.

    You've got some fine brothers there I'd say. One creates a Great Calendar and the other is coming in on his white horse to aid you in your recovery.

    Very nice Christmas. Happy and Healthy New Year to you and to Emma.

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  6. What a nice Christmas, and I AM jealous since I would love to spend some time with Erin and Mui. I hope Erin got out that long lens of hers during your tour. How wonderful that you could give them their own private tour. You can always read about their travels to the Galapagos on the blog, Erin writes and photographs every thing so wonderfully that you feel like you are right there. Mui's videos are amazing too. Glad you got to meet some great folks and they got to meet you as well.

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  7. Glad you got to spend some time with the 2 to Travel duo. They are multi-talented!
    Great calender!

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  8. Glad to know you had such a very Merry Christmas! I can't imagine a more perfect type of celebration for you!!!

    My flu shot was a failure so I celebrated Christmas with the flu! Good thing we had our family doings on the 23rd!

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  9. Darn it ... I really was hoping to beat you to the blog post about yesterday. That's what I get for working on finances and not writing my blog earlier! Shy person that I am, I don't talk much, but we had a great time and really enjoyed our time with you ... and if you want tales of the Antarctic and the Galapagos, we'll be happy to regale you with them when we next meet. If all goes well in Red Bay, I'd love to squeeze in a visit to ONWR while it's still quiet up that way ... you might still be in the area recuperating from your surgery.

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    1. P.S. You took a great photo of us that I'll have to steal from your blog for our "Lights ... Camera ... Action" slideshow.

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  10. Carl is very thoughtful AND clever. Hang in there - your ordeal will be over with soon and hopefully you will be pain-free in the near future.

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  11. That is such a wonderful present your brother does. Gave us a great idea for gifts next
    Christmas. Be happy for you when all that pain is gone.

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  12. What a cool gift from your brother! Those are real keepers!

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  13. How nice that you spent Christmas with Erin and Mui. Very envious of that private tour. And what a thoughtful gift from your brother.

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  14. What a great gift. And even better soon you will be out of pain for the New Year!

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  15. Love the calendar he makes for you.

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  16. As I mentioned over at Erin's, it's cockle-warming to see you guys together.
    Glad y'all had such a great day. Beats our Christmas Day, spent with no electricity and power lines strewn hither and thither. No Christmas dinner for the Z's, but we made up for it yesterday ;)

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  17. What a wonderful way to spend Christmas, Judy. Have a great new year, and glad things are going well for you.

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  18. Love the calendar! My brother, who lives in Mobile, makes one up every year choosing photos from his kayaking adventures. Easy to appreciate calendars like those our brothers make.

    Glad you weren't any closer to the tornado activity.

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