Grandma's House

Well, our Christmas get-together was a blast! Everybody made it this year, except for a brother-in-law and a brother-in-law-to-be. One was missing for unknown reasons, the other one had to do a contract hit. Before you jump to the wrong conclusions, he's an exterminator, and he had to work today. That's a shame because I was looking forward to meeting him. I did get to see his picture, though. Very nice looking man.

Anyway, we shot the breeze for a while, and opened our presents to each other. I am very happy to report that I got everything I asked for, except the car. Oh, well, maybe next year haha. Everyone seemed very pleased with the gifts I picked out for them. I think one of the highlights was a wooden crate my younger sister received. Unfortunately, neither she nor I realized the significance of the wooden box. It was stenciled on the outside "Sheffield Steel Co". Our grandfather retired from Sheffield Steel. But he died when I was four and she was two, so we really don't remember him. But it is still a great gift, one to pass on in the family for posterity.

After all the gifts were opened, we had a wonderful meal together. Much joking and laughing ensued. All too quickly it was time to go home. The five of us only get together twice a year now. When Mom died it was four or five times a year, but life has a way of getting too busy for your own good sometimes.

But we had a glorious time today, and I'm already looking forward to the fourth of July so we can get together again. Sometimes having a close family is great!