WHO is up so early?

Naturally . . . it's DOUGAL. . . . .

Why Christmas Vacation is the best

I like it best when everyone is home.
When no one is rushing off to go to work.
When the turkey's in the oven, smelling ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so delicious.
And there are games and laughter.

There should be some snow. It makes it fun to watch the squirrels when they run in the snow. But really . . . it's pretty wonderful just the way it is.

Jumping out of airplanes

I'm not a risk taker.
Give me a quiet evening by the fire with a good book anytime.

It's odd. Jumping out of an airplane this time, feels right. Feels good. Feels exciting and invigorating and CLEAN.

It's like when a fever burns through your body and kills off the virus. When the fever's done it's job, You wake up feeling a little tingly. A little . . . fresh. New. Ready to go go go!

Maybe this difference is--I choose to jump. The plane isn't about to crash and I'm not being kicked out of the airplane.

Being in charge of the decision does make a difference.

Santa's Sleigh Ride

I would like to add a photo to today's blog, but the system is down. ~~sigh~~

It's a picture of me, flying in Santa's sleigh. He was on a training mission last night and gave free rides to Cats. Dougal missed it. He was sleeping.

Tiger and I rode up front and we got this GREAT picture . . . . maybe I can put it up tomorrow.

Rules and Traditions

Around here we have some rules about birthdays. Mostly about Jim's birthday, which is at the beginning of December.

Dad will put up the outside Christmas lights, but they don't get turned on until December 3. AFTER Jim's birthday. It doesn't matter that Jim isn't even here right now--he's up at school. He'd never know if the lights were on early. And he's 22, he probably wouldn't mind if the Christmas lights went up early because the weather was nice.

But the rules stay the same.

I'm interested in that. Because some how that rule has become a TRADITION and tradition is an entirely different kind of thing than a rule, though it sort of is implemented the same way.

A rule means you DO this or DON'T do that.
A tradition means you DO this ir DON'T do that.

But a rule is confining. Seems like something that limits you. Might be something you don't really want to do.

A tradition is a connection to other times, other people, other places. A tradition . . . is time travelling. It's active memory. It's an homage to past and a participation in the present.

Gives you something to think about.