Monday, Dec. 26, 2005 - 2:22 p.m.

After-Christmas glow with Patches pic

A very good Christmas. No major catastrophes, only one close one, and after all the separate visitors quickly made preparations to leave, the instigator cooled off. 3 s didn't come to the dinner as he had to be back in bigbigtown, but he was well thought off. Only one small dust up with the young male who'd been in disfavor this year, and that not of his making. He kept a very low profile, something he's not known for doing, but he was busy putting free music on his audio player down here most of the day. Only got 6 on, and I didn't even inquire as to what. Dial up takes along time so he kept occupied. He had removed his earrings after his mother laid down the law (finally after years of not doing much about anything). 800 told her no guy with earrings was coming into his house again, and she and the kids were both going to miss Christmas dinner. I knew that would escalate into a major split, so I've spent most of the month praying. She was going to leave him at home, and would have if he'd refused. I was proud of him. This is not really an earring issue with him, but an acceptance issue, but he's taken plenty of stands for the devil lately, and backing off from one of them didn't hurt him. Mom saw she could lay down the law.

This wasn't any bigger affront to me than the grand girls dressing like little harlots on occasion. But they are not my kids, just grandkids, and I don't feel I have the say on some things. 800 has lived such an isolated social life for so many years that he often doesn't know where lines are drawn anymore, but this is his house and he has the right to demand certain things. My personal opinion is that some things are just not worth dying for, or causing unbridgeable chasms. I have some things I'd die for but styles are not on that list.

I'm hoping that family issues are finally smoothed over, for the first time in a year and a half. It has been so hard to do what I needed to do for both sides. I haven't had much practice at that over the years, and I am sure grateful. It would have helped to have had some rebellious teens to prepare me. What goes around, comes around never happened to me, even though I deserved it. I'm glad I had years to atone for how I treated my folks.

800 has been the alpha male all his adult life in every situation. If the place started to slip, he left the circumstances or the people. Sometimes I wonder if he can hear what he says about times past and relate them to what has happened recently. I can't say anything, just pray and accept what comes.

Anyway, this was my best Christmas ever. Probably because I know what it could have become...even worse than last year.

This old gal is probably the oldest kitty on the place. Don't know where she came from. She's either spayed or too old to have kittens, but always shows up at feeding time. I can pet her while she eats, and occasionally she come up on the porch, but Patches is pretty low on the totem pole, and keeps a low profile, just like me. For the first year she was around, she went other places too, but is very regular now and stays under the straw shed most of the time.

EE's devotional

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