Merry Christmas to All

This is the time of the year that so many of us celebrate, whether as Christians, Jews, Muslims, or just because. For the two of us, we celebrate the birth of Our Savior. We also celebrate the 50th Christmas we have spent together! In 1959, Suzy took her high school Christmas leave at my parents’ home in San Lorenzo, California. Can you imagine any two people so young? We had only just become engaged, and by Christmas, Suzy was 17, I was 21.
In the meantime, we have seen Christmases in California, Montana and Arizona. But none is more special than whichever Christmas we are celebrating at the time.

This Christmas, we offer you views of Christmassy images we have seen in our travels.

The street singers here are from an attic in a general store in Roseberry, Idaho. We had learned of Roseberry in a travel pamphlet about Idaho. Our hosts, Frank and Kathy Eld, invited us to stay two nights on their parking lot.
In Santa Barbara, we visited the Franciscan Mission from early California days. Grandson Jason made a model of this mission for a school project in fifth grade.
The three kings wall hanging has been part of our Christmas decorating tradition for at least 40 years. We made it as a family project, with both girls helping select and place the various elements.
Our daughters, Kathie and Deb, and Santa Claus posed in front of our fireplace in Livermore, CA in 1967.
Then, the three met again in Sacramento in 2004, to recreate the event.
This crèche gourd came to us in 2005, from the Gourd Festival in Casa Grande, Arizona. It was carved in Peru. On the other hand, this crèche came from Suzy's family history, and was part of our decorating from our first year together until we retired. If memory serves, Kathie's family now has it.
This week, three ornaments from this “Texas Ranger” flew from our site here in Benson, blown by ferocious winds. One friend and one stranger returned the three, to our surprise.
So, for you we wish the finest celebration of wonderful memories, good friends, good food, good health, and a fabulous 2009. To you from us, living… Our Life on Wheels.