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Sunday, December 8, 2013

December 8th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina – 

Happy Sunday all!

My husband, my daughter and I went to a Christmas party last night at a friend’s house. Even with Dani was being a typical teenager, bored out of her scull at a pretty much all adult party, we had a good time. I didn’t get much time to chat with the hostess, for obvious reasons, but I did get to catch up with another friend, Dorothy, who I haven’t seen in ages. I met Dorothy and her husband Bruce through cheerleading when both of our daughters were on the traveling competition team.

Since I had a decade of coaching under my belt, I would lead the fans-in-the-stands cheers, and Bruce was usually one of the first ones to get the folks sitting around him going. He even used to bring a conch shell to blow (like they do in Hawaii) because air horns and such were banned from competitions.

Competition season was grueling, but it was because of folks like Dorothy and Bruce, I found myself looking forward to the next season. Dani sustained a cheer ending injury three seasons ago, so she ended up missing her varsity years on the squad, and since she was no longer on the team, there was no reason for us to go to the competitions.
 
Although I don’t miss the travel, the cost and the drama, I do miss many of the parents. We were a pretty close knit group, and to go from seeing them multiple times a week, to not seeing them at all, was a shock to the system. I get it though, cheer sucks up every ounce of free time, so during the season, you have no other life except cheer; and now with practices starting earlier and competitions running longer into the year, the “season” is greatly extended. Anyway, it was nice seeing Dorothy and Bruce, and now I just need to work on getting the rest of “the crew” together.

The potato pancakes were a hit last night. Instead of making regular ones, I made a hundred two-bite ones. I thought they would make more sense at a party. Since they were so well received, I think I’ll make them for my church Christmas party next Saturday as well. They are no longer a trial to make since my mom lent me her food processor which has a grating blade. What used to take me HOURS to hand grate all the potatoes now takes only minutes, so I really don’t mind making them anymore. The frying them up still takes forever, and the house smells like potato pancakes for DAYS, but everyone seems to enjoy them, and since they are not the typical appetizer brought to a party, they are well received.

Today, after church and a quick run to the grocery store, I will be sitting down and writing our annual Christmas letter to be sent out with the Christmas cards. I’ve had the cards for months already. I figured since I had some good pictures of the kids, why not get the cards made early, avoid the holiday rush and maybe even mail them out early. Well two out of three isn’t bad. Here it is, December 8th, and the cards still haven’t gone out.

I think I’ve procrastinated a little on them because this year’s card is the last time my son’s picture will be on our cards. We send photo cards every year, but at some point, when the kids are grown, they should no longer be a part of your Christmas card, because they send out their own cards. (PJ moved out earlier in the year. He’s twenty-three, and even though I miss seeing him every day, it was time for him to spread his wings.) So, next year’s card will only have the girls. In a few short years, Dani will be the only one on the card; and when she moves out, we’ll be sending plain old boxed Christmas cards, ‘cause no one needs to be seeing my mug on a Christmas card.

Okay, I’ve rambled enough for one day. I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

 

Your Last Challenge was:

 
Write a story containing: an animal, a magical being, and snow

 
Tabatha spun and spun, arms outstretched, wings fluttering. She caught a snowflake in her hands, tossed it up and watched as the wind swirled it away.  After one final loop, she floated down to her favorite perch, behind Bunny’s ears, and snuggled into his soft warm fur.

“Oh Bunny, I just love the first snow of the season. There’s just something so magical about it.”

“Magical?” Bunny harrumphed, “This coming from a fairy? Snow is nothing more than condensed water vapors in the atmosphere that the cold air freezes and turns into ice. Nothing magical about that.”

“Quit being such a poop.” Tabatha ruffled the fur between his ears. “Look around you. Yesterday this whole area was grey and drab, lifeless, colorless, boring. Now look at it. Everything is white, and when the snow stops falling and the sun peaks through the clouds, it will all shimmer like a zillion diamonds.”

“Well you can keep your diamonds. To me the snow means I’ll be cold and wet, and I do so abhor being cold and wet.”

 “Oh Bunny, when did you get so old and cranky? When did you stop seeing the wonder and magic around you? You weren’t always like this.

  


Ten minutes came way too quick again.


Your Next Challenge is:


Never in a million years did I expect to see her/him …
 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

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