The Christmas of Cairo

In my mind, this will always be the Christmas of Cairo. She was a great presence around the tree the past few days. The activity of setting it up and putting down the presents excited her to no end. She went tearing around the room at light speed. She jumped and tumbled and bounced and seemed to be everywhere at once. Andy's all grown up and moved out, so it was almost like having a little child around.

This year's tree, Christmas morning, just before the opening of the gifts.

Cairo hides under some wrapping paper as we were wrapping Carole's mom's presents Christmas morning. Lilly looks to see what's happenin'.

An excited Cairo is temporarily put into custody by Carole.

Andy and Cairo.

Cairo kitty runs out of steam.

Merry Christmas!

This has always been my favorite Youtube Christmas video.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Covered in Kitty Cats

We're only just now getting our Christmas tree up and decorated. We should be finished by tomorrow afternoon. Then it's time to start wrapping presents and getting those stashed under the tree. This year has seen so much time pressure for us that it's the latest we've ever prepared for the Holidays. I have had almost no real time off and the volume at work has been much heavier than the past two years. Add to this the fact that I just finished with a six-day work week and it hasn't left much time for decorating the house. Carole, too, has had a heavy work load.

Today I came home from work and relaxed in the den, watching some DVDs and hanging out with the cats.

Me and Cairo.

Cairo and Lilly use me for a pillow.

Tradition

Tree cuttin' time in Sparta, North Carolina.

For years and years, Carole and I would drive up to Alleghany County where she owns property and go to a choose 'n' cut Xmas tree farm to get our tree. Sometimes one farm and sometimes another. Whichever one looked the most likely. After a while, we settled on one called Crazy Fox Christmas Tree Farm. We always find a good tree there. But the last two years we didn't go to a choose and cut place. Why? Who knows?

We heard that Sparta had gotten a good snowfall yesterday. As we seldom see any snow. we decided to drive up there to get our tree. What could be cooler than picking our tree in the snow? So we went. And, yes, the snow was nice and beautiful. They had about a six-inch snowfall, so it was still gorgeous when we got there at around 10:00 am. We quickly found our tree, showed it to the cutters and waited while they knocked it over and took it to our truck.

We capped off the day by going to Stone Mountain State Park on the way home to take a hike. While there, we watched rock climbers scaling the sheer cliff face of Stone Mountain. More on that later.

Carole and I pause for a self-portrait. Not the tree we ended up with.

They had a pretty good snowfall the day before.

The tree we picked out. They're ready to cut 'er down...

Timber! She's down! Now to tie 'er up and brang 'er home!