Relative Something

*this* John W. Hays' take on things and experiences

Posts Tagged ‘presents

So Christmassy!

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Christmas morning with Cyndie’s family is all breakfast and presents, on a grand scale, both. After getting lavishly fed, we headed downstairs to find 23 people’s-worth of presents around the tree.

It doesn’t take too long for Santa’s little helpers to distribute the packages around the room.

Then begins a cacophony of ripping paper, saving bows, exclamations of surprise/love/and delight, and many voices talking all at once.

As quickly as possible after everything was opened, I needed to slip out for a return trip to the ranch, where Delilah was patiently awaiting some attention. She was very grateful to have a chance to get outside to do her business. I granted her as much time and freedom as possible, trying to make up for the many hours she has been left alone in the last few days.

She seemed to think it made for good opportunity to hunt critters that live in the grass beneath the snow.

“Wha-aat?” she says after we get back inside. “I’m a good girl!”

After I got her fed, and darkness moved the chickens into the coop, it was time for my second drive of the day to Edina.

The Christmas feast which included salmon and beef tenderloin, easily justified the added driving.

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Cyndie stayed at her parent’s house overnight Monday and all day yesterday to help with preparations.

Christmas 2018 was definitely a day that felt wonderfully Christmassy in our family! The added blessings of having Norwegian relatives joining in the festivities was icing on our cake.

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Written by johnwhays

December 26, 2018 at 7:00 am

Christmas Sentiment

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I am giving myself a present for Christmas, and it comes from everyone who loves me.

I am going to choose to consciously allow myself to absorb, feel, and appreciate the love that others shower over me in myriad ways.

It’s simple, but oh so powerful.

Thank you to all who love me. May you feel and receive an abundance of amplified love in return!

Merry Christmas!

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Written by johnwhays

December 25, 2015 at 7:00 am

Precious Present

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Our fence contractor called the other day and during our conversation he asked if we liked dill pickles. Of course we do! But do we like them a lot? That’s a hard thing for me to measure. How much is a lot? Next time he stopped by, he unveiled a gift of a gallon jar filled to the brim with fresh homemade dill pickles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a jar of pickles that big. It looked like A LOT!

IMG_2729e After Cyndie and I unsealed the jar, we quickly decided that it probably wouldn’t be enough pickles to last us very long. There is something about them being homemade, produced locally, by someone we know, presented to us as a gift, that enhances the essence of a food beyond anything a commercial product could ever achieve.

I think there is a feature related to the fact that there are so many pickles, we are subconsciously moved to grab two every time the jar is opened… because there are plenty! We happily oblige the urge.

By the way, the fence around the front field was completed yesterday. That’s a milestone I was wondering if we would ever see. We’ll take a breath and then start plotting our next phase. We are contemplating whether we have it in us to take on doing some of the next fence work ourselves. The main disadvantage I see in such a plan is that we’d lose the opportunity to be the beneficiaries of some pretty spectacular homemade foods.

Tom and Sue Sherry of Best Built Fence Company have been very, very generous about sharing produce and custom concoctions from their personal kitchen. It is a wonderful gesture, and has produced some very precious presents for us over the past 10 months.

We are hoping that we have made a connection with them that will last well beyond our initial client/contractor relationship. Looks like we are off to a good start, as we have been invited to their “booya” at the end of this month.

Written by johnwhays

September 11, 2013 at 7:00 am