Christmas Dinner

I woke up early this morning so that I could go down to Lander Marine and work for the morning. (My mom said she would pay me.) Worked from 8am ‘til around 11:30. Nothing too hard, just simple accounting stuff that I used to do for the shop while I was in high school, then I went and got gifts for my two grandmas and my papa. Then walked to the Art Gallery. (It us also my grandma Barbara’s house.)

Christmas dinner was wonderful. My mom started the turkey at 5 am. By 12:30 when she brought it to grandma’s it was falling off the bones.

Jerimiah even made it up a day early. He got to eat dinner while we opened gifts then ate dessert with us. We get to continue the holiday tradition of taking off and going to the movies. Tomorrow night we are going to see Behind Enemy Lines. (Because the world appears to revolve around Jenn and she has already seen The Lord of the Rings. It doesn’t matter the I have already seen Behind Enemy Lines.)

After the meal we exchanged gifts. Jenn gave me a pink Hello Kitty watch. 25 dollars from grandma Barbara. Raspberry body wash and three white wash cloths from grandma Boneta and papa. Three big pink towels from mommy and daddy.

My mom ordered some maple stuff from Canada and made baskets for Johnny’s parents, Aunt Terri & Uncle Dave and Great Aunt Ellen &Great Uncle Gene. (More for Aunt Ellen though. Uncle Gene was taken to a nursing home in Basin Friday afternoon.)

After gifts was desserts, Gail made two beautiful pumpkins pies and a pecan pie. The pumpkin was delicious. (Considering my mom usually buys the frozen ones.)

Shortly after dessert everyone headed their separate ways: Gail & John to await their sons who were traveling home for Christmas. Aunt Terri to take Aunt Ellen home and the platter of leftovers to Uncle Dave. Jenn & Johnny back to our house to play out whatever the fantasy of the week is. (I think it is the one where they almost get caught by the parents.)

They day was almost perfect.

All this happiness can only end with sadness. When Aunt Terri got Aunt Ellen home they received a phone call from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff in Basin had been looking for Ellen.

Soon after that call Terri called our house. Jenn & Johnny were the only one’s home.

According to Jenn the conversation went like this:

"Is your mom there?"

"No, she is still at grandma’s, what is wrong?"

"Your Uncle Gene fell asleep."

"So, you mean he died?"

"Yea."

They found Uncle Gene at 4 this afternoon. He was already gone.

Bad things don’t happen in threes, I hope it is done after 4. First was my Uncle Pete, then Mary and a few days later dear Sgt. Gerry Appelhans went and mow my Uncle Gene.

Please just let it be over. I don’t want to cry anymore.