it's not gradual, it's like BOOM.

How on earth did we grow old, grandparents, for goodness sake! We were so young, not so very long ago, that someone read us a verse, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example for those who believe..."(1 Tim 4:12...), then yesterday I heard that verse being read to the youth group, and I thought, my goodness, time doesn't just creep along, it takes flying leaps. Paul had his surgery on Christmas Eve, his knee is still so swollen, he limps around, and it tugs my heart, because...he's getting old. I cannot bear it. He's the strong, healthy one. Okay, he's only 58, but still. He doesn't touch up his grays, either, ha.

We have had some beautiful winter weather here. The kids all went snow tubing and snow boarding yesterday.

We stopped at Starbucks the other day, and Jonny couldn't resist using the table that is "not in use". I want to mention that I am not getting a penny for saying so, but Starbucks is good. I asked what hot coffee was fresh at the moment, and the kid made a fresh pot of Pike Roast, and with heavy cream, mmmm. Sonja had a hot chai with a shot of espresso, said it was the yummiest ever, to paraphrase. I made sure to give them a good tip. Do you tip at your coffee place? I hope so. I tip at the gas station in town, too, after all, you don't have to get out in the heat or the freezing wind, you just sit there and they pump the gas for you. If every single person gave a buck, think of the effect it would have on those who earn low wages, and when an employee is tipped, I think they work extra hard. Our tree is having it's last day, gracing the living room. Tomorrow it will become a bird haven, a squirrel hideout. The needles are pinging down, and it's getting dusty. I hate to see it go. There is a real thing, a post holiday depression syndrome, but this year, people are getting it badly. We've pumped up the holiday season so much, started in earnest earlier, spend more, tried so hard to make it all so wonderful, then bam, it's done. Every year I think of Dr. Suess' Grinch, "on the walls he left nothing but hooks, and some wire...(then he went up the chimney himself, the old liar)"...it's so desolate when we take down the Christmas. This year, I tried to be minimal, but no, I couldn't do that, no sir. This house is Christmas Central. I am planning to leave some of the white lights up, and some of the little trees, because they're winter-y, right? The year is ending, and we are starting a new year by heading to Florida. I know, we're crazy. But we still have a grandma to visit, and we are going to do that. We're only going for a few days, then coming home for a quarantine. I hope and pray we'll all be okay! I hope grandma will be too. It's so crazy that a simple 3 hour direct flight to Florida is such an ordeal. We've thought on it and thunk about it, and decided to go ahead and go. SOMEONE has to keep the travel industry afloat, right? Anyway. I have to get moving and try on some shorts, which UGH, if you live in the land of winter like I do, with white pasty legs, chunky too, well, you would understand why this is not something I look forward to. We are flying cheap-0 air, actually Frontier, where you can bring a purse or backpack, or pay one million dollars to check a carry-on, so we are only checking one to share between the five of us. The tickets were only a hundred dollars, and we're renting a car in Orlando and driving to Grandma's, so it isn't TOO risky, I hope. We aren't going to Magic Kingdom of Busch Gardens, just a few days in Orlando after visiting Grandma, so we can sun and swim. Off I go to see how fantastic I don't look in my summer clothes...it seems like forever and a day since I've worn summer clothes....