I'll Be Home for Christmas 2014: Day 4

Briefly, I got ready and Jolene and I went to the cheese factory.

 

I got some photos, then Dad gave me a final Christmas gift by putting air in my tires before I left.

Before I left, we had to do the pitchfork photo.

 

 

Dad scratched his cow's back.

I stopped at the World's Largest Culver's for the World's Most Overwhelming Meal, and I only got a single burger.

I drove and drove and drove through Illinois.

  

Taking photos while driving is a really stupid thing to do.

My favorite blogger lives in Peoria. I was so close!

Beautiful sunset in Illinois.

I went through Springfield at dusk, just as I had when I arrived. I passed a minor traffic back-up due to an accident, and then was off to St. Louis. I stopped at Exit 4B at a Pilot Travel Center to get some consumables and check in. Then I was off, through St. Louis, with a great view of the Arch, and down through Missouri.

I almost made it through the whole state without stopping, but I decided to stop at a rest area to get out of the car, change phone batteries, and take my final antibiotic before going into The Promised Land, I mean Arkansas. I was planning to do Memphis, but it was getting late, so I stopped at a Super 8 in Blytheville. I chilled out, then put on some Michael Jackson videos, after a friend mentioned that her favorite Michael Jackson song was Man in the Mirror. It's in my top 5, but I could never really pick a favorite. I'm not even sure if I could pick a top 5 - top 10 maybe. 15 for sure, I think.

I also purchased tickets for a special side trip tomorrow. I need to leave here at 8am to get to my destination on time.

I'll Be Home for Christmas 2014: Day 3

I awoke around 8 to the sound of my phone alarm going off, triggering a need to take my antibiotic. After I took it, I went back up to bed, telling my mom that I would be up shortly. Not long enough later, she was harassing me out of bed because, "Jolene was up". I get up, and I think we putz around the kitchen, make Welsh Cakes, I took steps to not feel horrible, and we went to open gifts.

Mom and some of her gifts.

I took a photo of my scrap wrapping from another angle. I ran out of clear tape, so I used the other kind available. 

Jolene holding cover-alls for her boyfriend, which were too large. Note the slogan on my dad's shirt.

After gifts were opened, Dad did some Santa Claus posing.

Then I arranged and photographed "my loot" in a makeshift studio of sorts.

Jolene arranged her loot, then joined Mom to make potatoes. I went with Dad to the barn.

This one is half Belted - in two ways. His mother was bred to a Belted bull, and the belt only appears on this side.

After the barn, we went outside to the back where Dad showed me the crick.

The garden in winter.

 

Dad is pointing at things and explaining them.

 

 

 

 

When we got back in, I photographed my sister's loot, and she got shots of her boyfriend's loot.

I arranged mine to take back to Texas, and then other things happened. After a while, it was time to go to my aunt's house for the traditional Christmas Dinner.

Simple, but tasty.

People were there, food was eaten, then other people showed up with babies! I gave one baby a gift, but the other baby's gift was at her aunt or grandpa's house.

Later, suddenly, an unexpected baby [well, she's 5 now] came in the door. Then her brother arrived, who promptly yelled with delight about arriving, and then their parents came in. We talked and told stories - well, I told stories, because I talk a lot. Just before my family went home, I had those kids open their gifts. I couldn't figure out which gift each kid should have, so I just said that they were sharing gifts. Well, the little boy opened the Kinetic Sand and said something to the effect of, "this is exactly what I wanted," which was just perfect.

After that, we went home, but did a half hour tour [technically, 29 minutes, 4:43 to 5:12] of Rudolph, starting with 5th Avenue, then going through the town.

  

  

Rudolph Street Lights

At home, we did things, surely. I made an origami box for some of the little rocks from Little Rock that I would be leaving with my parents. Then it was time to decorate the cookies. I started with the tiny cookies, then went to the big ones. They took a very long time, and eventually, my sister helped with a few, which weren't photographed.

 

We cleaned up the cookie decorating area, and I went on to blogging, interrupted briefly by my reminder that I had to take the antibiotic and other necessary items to help me feel a little better. I'm watching Portlandia in the dining room now, possibly editing some photos, and going to bed to start my long drive back down to Texas. I take solace that at least I'll be driving down the map, so gravity should be able to help my car out.