{"id":42019,"date":"2019-12-03T08:17:09","date_gmt":"2019-12-03T15:17:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=42019"},"modified":"2019-12-04T09:03:53","modified_gmt":"2019-12-04T16:03:53","slug":"the-storm-comes-tonight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=42019","title":{"rendered":"The Storm Comes Tonight!"},"content":{"rendered":"

“May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Remember what Christmas is all about!<\/p><\/div>\n

I love my Santa Hats, and the tradition of wearing them throughout December started in 1988, thirty-one years ago! Not only are they festive, it keeps my little bald head nice and warm!<\/p>\n

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This time of year, I wax nostalgic remembering Christmas’ of long ago, and random memories pop into my otherwise empty head!\u00a0 This story is one for the books.\u00a0 My mother was so smart!!!<\/p>\n

Random Memories:\u00a0 Many many moons ago, I remember the Christmas tree, and under it was a package containing something I wanted.\u00a0 My eye was always on that package to make sure it stayed right in its spot.\u00a0 Mom decided to go across the street and visit Thelma Perkins, and she admonished me, then about seven years old, some seventy years ago, not to touch any presents.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Well, as soon as Mom exited the house, I crept up to the window and watched her as she entered Thelma’s house!\u00a0 Quick, to the tree, and I very carefully unwrapped the present.\u00a0 Yes, it was a Tonka Dump Truck!\u00a0 I rolled it all over the room and eyed Thelma’s house every time I passed the window.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Thirty minutes later, I spotted activity across the street.\u00a0 Like a flash, I drove the truck to the tree, and with extreme care (for a seven-year-old), I re-wrapped the present and put it back under the tree.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Our front door opened. Mom took one look at the present and knew instantly what I had done.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Being a very clever mother, she didn’t say a word and walked into her room.\u00a0 Of course, I followed, but to my amazement, Mom was in her closet, getting down her suitcase?\u00a0 She put the bag on the bed and began packing it with clothes.\u00a0 I asked what she was doing, and Mom said: “You opened the present, so I am running away from home.”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

My world shook; how can this be? Is mom running away from home?\u00a0 As Mom exited the house turning north toward Venice Boulevard, I was directly behind her yelling at the top of my little lungs, “Mommy, PLEASE DON’T RUN AWAY!”\u00a0 I am sure the neighbors heard my screaming, as well as those from three blocks around.\u00a0 She walked to the end of the street before she stopped and turning around.\u00a0 I was a blubbering mess (not much different than today) and promised NEVER to open a present again that was not mine.\u00a0 Mom returned home, and to this day, I do not rattle, shake, smell, life, or otherwise touch any present until I am given permission!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Colleen sent several pictures of her and Mark and their grandkids (our great-grandkids) picking out their Christmas tree.\u00a0 It’s an exciting time for the little ones!\u00a0 The weather was approaching 34 degrees, but no snow yet!<\/p>\n

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Colleen with Logann and Calhan<\/p><\/div>\n

Mark did the “heavy-lifting” once the two little tree-ologists selected the tree! We heard from them later on in the day, and it had begun to snow; their timing was perfect!\u00a0 Mark is known as “Pop-Pop!” and I am “Grand Pop-Pop.”<\/p>\n

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Now we get down to work!<\/p><\/div>\n

We decided to go out to eat and then go to Roger’s Gardens.\u00a0 Well, as it goes, we were late for lunch and then by the time we were finished we ran out of time to visit Roger’s!\u00a0 We decided to try again on the 11th with Colleen as she gets a bang out of the tree displays!<\/p>\n