misfits and a 43-year-old angel

As noted yesterday, today's weather has had me housebound all day.

That doesn't mean I've sat around twiddling my thumbs, mind you.

It just means the front door was opened once, and that was to bring in the mail.

No Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta, but I did have Po' Girl Ceviche for dinner.

(smile!)

I had a bowl of Mama's Tuna Chowder for lunch, too.

Warm foods, warm thoughts.

(smile!)

Then, the Universe gifted me a treat: "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" on TV!!!

I had pulled the three bins of Christmas decorations out of the closet several days ago, and had the Christmas tree in the living room, but that had been as far as I'd gone.

Then, something happened that spurred me to action: Rudolph, Hermie, and Yukon Cornelius landed on the Island of Misfit Toys.

By the time the little polka-dotted elephant appeared onscreen, my toys were in place!

That felt very good to have accomplished!

(smile!)

Then I located the tree skirt Mama made and it was time to decorate the tree while watching "Every Day But Christmas", a favorite about second chances on Bounce.

The first to be placed, of course, was Mama's angel, made in 1981.

That makes her two years older than my first niece, by the way.

The same is true of the little red car, the rocking horse, and the glitter-trimmed gingerbread house, all ceramic pieces she made that year and sent to me in Okinawa.

Those three were the last ones on the tree.

(smile!)

Then I plugged in the light cord... and was greeted with the tiny purple lights!

Just beautiful, and certainly personalized just for me!

(smile!)

I have Grandma's embroidery under the tree, for Tony.

He'll be coming tomorrow with the fruitcake Mark brought for me!

When Tony texted a few minutes ago, that's when I decided to give the framed work to him.

I doubt he has any mementos from our grandparents.

This was something I usually hung in the hall, swapping it out with another one from her.

"Twas the night before Christmas..." the piece here reads, with her initials and the year, "1991", and she gifted it to Mama and Frank that year.

I'm sure they're the ones who had it framed, keeping the gift tag on the back.

Yes, I'll ask my youngest brother if he would like it.

I'm sure he will.

(smile!)