"Wait Mom, don't put us away just yet!"
"Sorry guys, Christmas is over and you are considered decorations. Decorations at this house go up fast and come down fast. We've had a lovely time together but too much familiarity often breeds contempt ( I think Shakespeare might have said that). And so I will put you away with your Moose brothers and sisters for another year."
"But I want to thank you for always giving us a lift and helping us to remember our child-like selves. Each time we take you out of your box, we snuggle up to you and remember when and where you were born ( or bought). So, thank you for that and we'll see you again next year sometime after Thanksgiving."
"In the meantime, sleep tight and stay warm."
All the food is put away and the cookie cans are closed. But there is this little bit of sangria with brandy-soaked fruit that cannot possibly go to waste. I am wondering how it would taste as a hot punch later on in the evening since it is such a cold, damp day here today. We had a wonderful Christmas meal of authentic Cuban food and authentic Cuban flan. LeeAnn, Maria, and friends were lovely guests and my favorite gift was an Epcot day with LeeAnn that I will cash in during the New Year. We have been taking turns being sick around here but I have learned through years of experience, that Christmas is only a day and that Christmas can come anytime you open your heart to it. Thanks girls, for a wonderful day yesterday--not only my girls who were physically here but also my girls that live away. Happy Holidays Everyone.
While surfing the net prior to my trip to Cuba, I came across this picture entitled, "Street in Havana, Cuba". Now normally, there would be nothing unusual about a photograph such as this except that it looks exactly like my father. My father died in 2005 and had never been to Cuba although his mother was born there. I was stunned to see that his gene pool is still thriving in Havana. It's not just the face, because that is almost exact. It's the cap that he always wore that is identical to the one in the picture. It is the thin, tall body and the way his hands are resting on his lap. It is the way his clothes just hang on his body and it is the very fashionable shoes--always a wardrobe staple. It is the pronounced chin that I carry also as my profile. The only part of the picture that doesn't fit is the bicycle. My father never learned to ride a bicycle although it would have made his coffee deliveries a lot easier when he was a young teenager. If I ever doubted that I am part Cuban, this photograph would affirm my heritage. This is my father's clone. All he needs is a pair of reading glasses, a cup of Cuban coffee, and a well-made Cuban cigar.
It is Sunday morning and Santa is standing in charge of the living room decorations. I think he looks an awful lot like Dumbledore from Harry Potter. Now, mind you, I have not seen any of the Harry Potter movies but this is what I think Dumbledore should look like in my own imagination. I don't know what to make of the penguins and children but I suppose I could conjure up a story with them also. Perhaps Dumbledore will cast a magic spell and create owls from penguins and sorcerers from children. Stranger things have happened at Hogwarts, you must admit.
Back to reality, it is a cloudy, dreary day outside. But I am sitting with a dog in my lap just having chopped all of the onions, garlic, and carrots for a large pot of split pea soup. There is flan in the oven and all is pretty much right with world right about now. Happy Sunday before Christmas.
"Wait Mom, don't put us away just yet!"
