Christmas Vacation, Day 2

Well, really, this has to do more with Day 1, but I’ve tricked you into reading it, so ha ha!

A family/church tradition since I was much, much younger has been to go Christmas caroling. When I was in elementary school, a lady I loved in the church (who was my grandma’s age and a witness at her wedding) named Amanda Pounds used to visit the nursing homes around Christmas. She made crafts to give the residents and since I’d helped her and she needed a ride/driver to get there, my mom and brother and I often went along to deliver.

I was pretty scared of the old people then, because they didn’t know who I was and assumed I was a their granddaughter and were often transfixed by my then extremely long hair. Once I was chased by a woman in a wheelchair who just wanted to touch my hair. I was afraid for my life! (In my defense, I was about 7 and old people with dementia are incredibly scary at that point in your life.)

So last night, we went to the nursing homes, caroling through the halls, stopping at the rooms of people we knew. I gave a little gift basket to my grandma at her nursing home, which she was happy about. Then she asked when I’d gotten home and commented she didn’t know I was here. Even though I’d stopped by the nursing home on my way home. Oh well, I can’t (and don’t) hold it against her. She’s 91 and has dementia. I’m just happy she recognized me!

All that said, though I dreaded the experience, the caroling wasn’t bad. It was kind of fun to bring some joy into the lives of people in the nursing homes who don’t have a lot of it.

In other news/thoughts, today I have a photo project to complete for my parents. They always leave these things for me to do, since, as they say, I can do it faster than them. And at 6:30 p.m. the entire family, Eli included, has plans to gather around the big screen and watch the Mizzou/Illinois Braggin’ Rights Basketball game. Down with the stupid Illini! (It doesn’t matter that Mizzou hasn’t won in years! I’m wearing the sweatshirt with pride and hoping this is our year to put the stupid Illini in their place!)