The holiday time was delightful, relaxing, and restorative. The boys and David and I had a ball decorating the tree with Michael and Alison on Christmas Eve and eating simple but delicious and wonderful fare. Christmas morning brought a telescope, bb guns, paintball pistols, books and games and the whole day went quite nicely.
David and I spent a nice week lounging about while the boys visited Phillip, and treated ourselves to lobster and lamb on nights that we did cook. We had Michael and Alison up a second time for dinner and the visiting felt as homey and holiday-some as I have ever had. When we did foray out of the house, we went poking around West Virginia, enjoying the scenery, talking about raising beef, talking about the hen house, and I started knitting a sweater for Graeme. He's the smallest, and this is the first garment I have ever knitted. When I started the project, it seemed easy, but the closer I get to done the more nervous I get that I might make a mistake and mess up The Whole Thing. Ridiculous, of course. I hope to have pictures of him wearing it in the coming week or so.