Christmas in Gassaway

Well, a trip down to Gassaway to visit family.  I never mind being there but getting there is a royal pain.  It is about 60 miles from here, all interstate, so it should not bug me that way.  But the beautiful hills of WV tend to be less lovely when you are constantly searching out the deer on both sides.  Hitting one at 70 MPH is no picnic, and has been the cause of many accidents.  The entire state has been trying innovative methods of controlling them.  Hunting within the city limits (with a bow) is now possible but has had little overall effect.  Making deer season longer has not had much impact.  In fact, hunters in the woods push the deer out of their usual areas and into places where they risk being hit by cars.

However, trips to and from were accomplished with no encounters.  Knock on wood.

We put poinsettias on the graves this time, but the lilacs we removed still look fine and can be used again in the spring.  All of the graves look nice, mowed and spruced up, and many were decorated.  We do the same for the four graves (mom, dad, sister of mom, daughter of mom and dad).  and my uncle takes care of his and his wife's relatives up above.  What will happen once my aunt and uncle pass I don't know.  We mainly do it to save them $$ for decorating so many graves.  I've never had the feeling that there is anyone there.

My Christmas shopping is done, all without leaving the house.  I did get some duds, but back they went for (mostly) a full refund.  Still have 5 things to come, which I hope for this week.  I don't do well in crowds, so this let me be here, with endless choices to be made.  It is amazing the unusual things one can find online.  There is nothing too exotic, no one has any real needs, as we all buy pretty much what we want when we want it.  But I had some ideas.

We have the Christmas tree up and decorated, it looks pretty nice.  No icicles, because the cats (blech) eat them.  We still have the outside lights to put up, but the weather is being uncooperative and we have had rain for days, and still more rain to come.  DS got the barn cleaned, but it was a chore with the Power'wagon refusing to start, and forcing him to use a wheelbarrow. The wagon needs to go to the shop pronto.  The wheelbarrow method is fairly OK for one stall, but there are three.

Time for today's Christmas card:

The inside says:  "Warmest greetings and good wishes for the holiday season."


And todays bumper sticker:  "I love to give homemade gifts... which one of my kids would you like?"