[ckau]

I’ve always enjoyed Christmas for most of the usual reasons. Fellowship, giving gifts, all the good eats and visiting with friends and family.. It’s been a tradition for many years for the family to gather at our house on Christmas eve day.
we’ve had hard steady rain here for the last couple of days. Local flooding, thunderstorms and some stiff winds. I got out early this morning to inspect for erosion and possible downed trees on the property. So while I was absent, and as if on queue the house suddenly filled with Sons ,daughters, associated in-laws, relatives and a herd of children ranging in ages from 2 to 19.
As I step into the house from the mud room I got caught in a surreal moment of Christmas in full swing. I stood still in the doorway and quietly took it all in.
My son and brothers in law have taken over the den, scrolling through the TV guide looking for game times while having a serious discussion on the super bowl playoffs.
There’s a constant commotion coming from the kitchen. Sounds of pots and pans. Multiple female voices, all talking at the same time sharing the trial and tribulations of shopping at the malls. The smell of ham biscuits and burnt toast. Somebody let the dogs in! Those critters promptly assumed the duties of clean up on the kitchen floor.
I get sideswiped by a 3 yr old running through the hall. She’s headed for the living room where there’s a TV blaring at full volume with the sounds of cartoons. A herd of children hanging off the furniture and covering the floor busy in their coloring books among a mind field of small toys. A shrill ear piercing scream of “ MOMMA ! Dillion won’t give me the red crayon “ reverberates through the house.
The older kids are going through this anti social stage They sneak off to some secluded bedroom where they bury their faces in some I-phone or note pad. Totally oblivious to the rest of the house. Their only concern is that next text. I poke my head in the door “ Merry Christmas Jack what ya doin? Without even looking up Jacks grunts out “ nuttun”. That’s our next generation for ya!
I retreat back to the solitude and peace of my office where I plop dawn in my chair and think to myself “ Oh boy Is this going to be a long day.” As immediately as that thought passed through my head I, realized I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Merry Christmas to all at Buggy Masters