Getting ready for Christmas

This tree is no more in my backyard. Only a stump remains. Like forgiveness and dealing with grief, let the stump only remain as we get ready for Christmas.

My favorite show is the Mentalist. (along with NCIS) Great show last night -want to watch it again. Second theme is how a man with gifts copes with the loss of his wife and child and that thread is always present. It is interesting to see how it develops and how he deals finally with the man who did this crime about him. Yesterday I watched a program on Oprah about interviewing the Doctor whose home was invaded and his wife and two daughters killed. They asked him about forgiveness and he said that the evil was too dire to be forgiven. (Both intruders were given the death penalty.) I am pondering his remarks as I get ready for Christmas.

All the presents are under the tree. I went out and got a bottle of Crown Royal for John Bierk and Bill Prost for our dinner tonight at Bella. I am going thru the list of family to contact. Heard from Britt this morning and sent a note to Amy and Suzanne to come up and eat sometimes during the holidays. I will soon have made contact with everyone and that feels good.

This week I lost Fred Goodwin, Irene Dugger who were great friends, and learned that Kim Mothershead had lung cancer. These are sad days expecially coming at Xmas. I will never forget that Harriett's dad, Oliver Goodin, killed himself on Dec. 15 after he had gone to Ragsdales and bought Samsonite luggage for Harriett and put it under the tree. We were sophomores in high school. We must live life while it is there.