Christmas Countdown

I finished "Fox's Earth" by Anne Rivers Siddons late last night. She is a wonderful author. The centerpiece of the novel was a mansion named "Fox's Earth" and was founded by the Fox family in the 1800's. A beautiful Southern mansion in a university town. A small girl from the "mill town" nearby was paraded by this mansion in the early 1900's by her crazed preacher father who beat his wife and family on a regular basis. He preached about the excesses of the wealthy and unknowingly instilled in his daughter the desire to become a resident of that very mansion he preached against. The current resident of the Fox mansion was a benevolent woman having but one son and wanting to fulfill two missions. Have another child and help someone in need. She took the wayward daughter into her home and unknowingly put a monster into their quiet environment. The quest of this character was to remain in Fox's Earth forever and to keep it in the ownership of her daughter, granddaughter, and great granddaughter. She married the Fox's son and plotted her rise from a cotton mill daughter to local fame. Her servant from early on was the only one who was aware of the total insanity that lay beneath her mistress' cool exterior. The truth wasn't discovered until almost 80 years later.

A week till Christmas! The guest room is filled with things to be wrapped and packages are arriving daily by UPS and regular mail. A trip to Borders should wrap things up. Of course, a trip to Borders will be dangerous. Like releasing an alcoholic in a liquor store. I'm deciding on whether to do a buffet or sit down meal. I'm leaning toward a buffet since I never know when everyone will wander in. A plate of cheese and crackers will keep them busy!

We have, for some weird reason, a tradition of a wrapping paper fight after the packages are all opened. It seems to be fun for all except me, who ends up having to retrieve and find all these rolled up balls for sometimes months after the holiday. I could fool everyone this year by putting all the gifts in gift bags which might stop them or at least limit them. Of course there's that tissue paper that you have to stuff in the bags to make them beautiful. There's no solution! I guess I should be grateful that there aren't more family members.