Click images for desktop size: "Alpine glow, Summit Lake, Alaska" My Christmas was kind of wonderful.
By tripling my prescription of Motrin I was able to tamp down the pain to an endurable level. Considering the way I feel today it was enough to be considered a Christmas miracle.
My little puppy was a delight. She was fascinated with every package and excited by whatever it contained. She had no favorites and just loved seeing new things. She liked the treats a lot!
I got a few little things for my housemates dog. My puppy played with those too.
My housemate was gone for the weekend and it felt good to have some privacy and to be alone - just the dogs and me. It felt right.
I got asked an odd question: Was my housemate taking good care of me? Odd in that this came from someone who knows him well. He functions at such a low level that I'm glad he can take care of himself. That's not a bum rap, just a fact. He's my friend.
I was more startled to think that I've fallen to a level where someone would think I need taking care of, as opposed to the old days when guys wanted to “take care of” me.
We went to the hospital to play Santa and see my puppy's patients. It was wonderful. The only sad note being that no parents showed up for the kids. It was alright because we did.
The nurses had a Santa hat for my puppy and the kids insisted that she really play Santa and deliver the gifts. My puppy decided that anything in her mouth should only be relinquished after a good chase. After the first 5 minutes of running all over the room all the kids wanted to play. If they got their present in less than 2 minutes it was proof, to them, that my puppy loved them best.
The presents were all charitable donations. No kid was really disappointed but their wish list wasn't much different than any other 9 and unders - iPods, XBoxes, even Barbies. What they got was kindness and no one seemed disappointed or didn't play with their toys. I felt a bit helpless.
My puppy didn't feel helpless and she was fascinated with everything and never stopped playing. The kids delighted in showing her their toys and she was appropriately amazed!
A little six year old girl asked me to marry her. When I demurred she asked my puppy! I hope protocol doesn't demand I pay for the wedding!
After that we went to the orthopedic wards and geriatrics. My puppy was wonderful and I heard a lot of stories about dogs. Most of the stories were pretty wonderful and interesting, but some of them reminded me of that line from “Soldier In The rain,” where Steve McQueen said almost sadly, “Mister, you never had a dog.”

Click images for desktop size: "Arc De Triomphe, Paris, France" We came back home and I had a new traditional dinner, a Banquet Frozen Turkey Meal! It reminded me of last Christmas and the way the holiday makes even misery palatable.
I looked at our Christmas trees and got the phone calls and emails from all the people I wanted to hear from.
I decided it was a good Christmas. I saw Chad Johnson's Touchdown celebration on TV, where when he scored he ran to the sideline and pulled out a giant stocking filled with autographed souvenirs that he tossed into the crowd. I thought that was more than a little wonderful.
I hoped for peace for everyone.
I was glad I was alive.
I have to work tomorrow.

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