Autumn is really gone...

It all held on so long here this year.

We had that crazy heat wave, many trees did not turn in early October like usual. This year rather than a rush to be naked, the trees seemed to take time letting each leaf turn to full glory before finally letting it go,  they lingered languidly. There was no cold snap to push a hasty color change, and there was no crazy rain or wind storm to rip the leaves from their moorings prematurely.  The trees changed slowly, the color blending together, and the leaves clinging to the trees until the last possible moments. For weeks the clear yellows, bright scarlets, and rusty oranges mingled with the mauve burgundies  and   tawny caramels.  I think every autumn is spectacular, I love the crisp air, and the leaves turning into a riot of colors and falling into the windy dance of autumn. This year was extra special, the long drawn out color that held on until Thanksgiving. Even now there are a few bushes in town, that are clinging to a few scarce leaves.

Winter is here. The air is no longer crisp, it is biting cold, and more often than not the ground is frozen and so are the water troughs. We have already had a small snow,  it was wet cold and beautiful. And we have had an ice storm, it was cold windy and scary.  Plus we are expecting a little snow today, an inch or two. I feel it this year. The Christmas Spirit. I feel it in the air, it is almost tangible. I don't have any idea what presents I'm getting anyone, nor do I have the money to get them yet, but it doesn't matter. I feel the spirit in the air.

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Merry Christmas to me...

It's hard to feel good about Christmas when one by one the flu picks off the members of your family with the accuracy of a military trained sniper.

The day school let out, we went to spend the evening with a friend, S. S's daughter M, goes to school with Ian. While I stayed later than bedtime for the kids, to help pick up the toys the kids had spread everywhere... My son got sick and threw up all over the living room and dining room as he raced to the bathroom where there was a child already using the facilities. So thinking of the carpet.. I put him into the kitchen so at least he would be on a surface that was easier to clean...  Thank God S, has a rug cleaner. (and while I know People cant help when they get sick, and I would not be angry if someone was sick at my house, Its hard not be somewhat embarrassed)  After we left M got sick, too, we think it was going around school.

We had our usual Christmas Eve family get together on the 23rd Saturday night, at which I was wearing a brand new bargain skirt and Jamie threw up all over me, and my new skirt. thank god we had gone in our regular clothes and I had taken another set of clothes.

On Christmas Eve we spent the day with Scott's brother, and I spent the day sitting in a cozy chair concentrating heavily on big breath in... nothing comes back up... I managed not to vomit, but i was still sick.. didn't eat for about 48 hours.

Late on Christmas Day I finally felt well enough to go to my Mom's house about 4 pm .. and on the way home my husband  was hit with bug....

It picked us off one by one and being the last two hit Hubby and I where tired and sore and worthless while the kids where already starting to feel better.

It didn't seem much like Christmas having spent it n a blur of nausea. And to add insult to injury our live tree would not drink its water and it dried out so badly I was afraid to turn on the lights.

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