Merry Christmas!!!

10849925_925541447463911_5838316788737740608_n

TSO brings the goodness…

I hope this day finds you safe in home and hearth with family. Say a prayer for those in the military on duty world-wide who protect our freedoms, and the police, fire/EMS pulling the duty at home…

Memories…

As I sit here in a warm kitchen sipping a cup of coffee, the turkey is in the oven, and even though I can’t be with family, I have friends coming to supper tonight, bringing the gifts of food and company.

I can’t help remembering back to being a little boy some 65 years ago, I can only give thanks that I’ve made it this far. I remember the first Tonka toys (what I wouldn’t give to still have them), the first bike, and riding over to my friends houses to see what they got and playing for hours…

Growing up, learning to drive, first girlfriends, sports, hunting, and family and friends around the holidays, without a care in the world.

Then the military, some years Christmas was a string of tinsel in the shop in some overseas location and a box of cookie crumbs.  Other years it was taking the watch so another sailor could have Christmas with his wife and kids. And then it was with my family, those first Christmases with my daughters, watching them tear into the wrapping paper with glee, and playing as much with the boxes as the dolls and other toys.

Now I get to watch that for another generation and I’m truly humbled by it.  And thankful I made it this far.  I also can’t help but remember those that didn’t. the ones who for a myriad of reasons aren’t spending time with their families, because we buried them along the way, or they are standing the duty in those far flung locations far from home.

nuff said…

Comments

Merry Christmas!!! — 14 Comments

  1. Reading your brief story brought back memories for me also. At 75 I too am grateful for making it this far. Everyday I open my eyes is a gift from God. It’s a quiet Christmas at my house, just my wonderful wife and I. She is fighting the flu and 3 of the 4 daughters and the grandkids have all moved to different parts of the country. The oldest is in New Hampshire with one living in Florida, and the youngest in Utah. I am thankful they are all healthy and doing well. I am praying that my wife is over the flu by Thursday since I have to go into the hospital for a heart cath. The doctor did not like what he saw with my last stress test. Nothing new for me since I have been through this before, twice about 23 years ago. They put in three stints and gave me 23 more years after a heart attack. That is something to be thankful for. Your prayers would be appreciated and once again Merry Christmas to You and Your Family.

  2. Merry Christmas to you Jim, and my fellow readers.

  3. Merry Christmas to you, yours, and to all the readers of this blog. We’re still here!

  4. All the best to you and yours, Jim.

    No “white Christmas” here, but a wet one with thunderstorms providing the background music. So Christmas was quiet, relaxed and not spent with an ear tuned to radio or pager.

    Cheers…

  5. Couldn’t make it to the end.
    It brings up too many memories of mine.
    Many sobs I am making.
    Merry Christmas to all out there in the either.

  6. DA- Back at ya!

    Peter- Thanks! And good to get some down time, isn’t it?

    Heltau- Sorry. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

  7. Merry Christmas to you, Jim.

    Regards from Amanda,Heath and the mutts.