Early Christmas presents

Miss Sadie, the Cowboy and I had a lovely Thanksgiving visit in Detroit, staying with Rob the Firefighter and the Lady Alicia. It was good to see family and old friends. OK, the food was an attraction, too. Never enough time to see everyone—always the promise that NEXT time . . .  Then it was time to hurry home. 

When we arrived back at the Writing Studio and Bait Shop, what to our wondering eyes should appear but a mysterious package wrapped in festive green tarp and tied with a matching bow!  As you might guess, we tore into our present immediately.  Oh wondrous joy!  A pair of unlikely Christmas elves had crept up to our deck and split quantities of excellent kindling for us.  Only someone who heats with wood AND has back troubles can truly appreciate the magnitude of this gift.  I only wish I’d been here to take pictures of the operation for you, because it must have been something to see, but here is the glorious result:

The elves?  I had my suspicions, so I called my neighbor Cora Stoppert.  She knows much more than I do about what’s going on around here, and she ratted them out.  They were her husband Paul and their son Steve, who was visiting from New York and spent every minute of his time here reveling in “Up North” chores and looking for more.  Such sons are an abiding joy.  Such neighbors are a great blessing.

So I have heartfelt thanks to give to Paul and Steve, and to another neighbor, Karen Peterson, who took care of Miss Puss for me while I was gone.  In fact, in the midst of her own holiday preparations she took care of half the cats in the neighborhood so the rest of us could go a-visiting.  How great is that?

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you . . . .