I'm a mostly solo for Christmas. My family is 1500 miles (2400km) away in cold country so they are on their own. Or more correctly, I am. Erv is coming over to bring me lunch and pick up Sam. Nancy worries that I might lose a half pound so is sending lunch, and they are ready for some dog slobber in their lives.
I talked to my brother yesterday, we have a family problem wrapped in a moral question and he had some time on his mission to spoil his grandchildren in North Carolina so called. He had the time because he upgraded his rental Toyota to a Land Rover and it didn't make it to their grandchildren's place. Died so completely that he couldn't even turn the flashers on to protect them :) At night on a rural road. With out even a flashlight. (I'm sure he has a rental car bag packed by now).
Anyway, the truck gave me an 'awww shucks' moment. Part of our discussion yesterday included heirs, and I reminded him that his heirs are also mine. I'm missing my nephews (one is 40 for crying out loud) and their children. My youngest nephew has a daughter that is just like him and promises that he will experience some of the tension that my brother did. Life is good.
I looked for a picture and I don't have it. My other bother Larry showed me (but didn't send) a picture of his grandson standing on a fresh pile of dirt beside grampa's boo-doh-door. A Cat D-8. Kayden got to spend 4 hours with Grandpa driving on the Cat (he's almost 5) and even got to steer and run the blade some. Kid has a grin that might still be there...
Larry and my sisters sold their business a year ago, but Larry kept his dirt rolling stuff and a truck. Kayden's dad bought his other 3 trucks and runs his own business now. Kayden's Mom (my niece) is the comptroller of the former family business :)
So I'll talk to at least some of them on Christmas. But I'd really like to be running a boo-doh-door with Kayden and his sister and all 13 nephews and nieces...
This time of year is a shit time to be missing people, especially if they are so far away. You know you'd be welcome here mate, for Christmas day, but that's no consolation considering Australia is a bazillion kilometres away. The thought is there though.
I was going to message you tomorrow if I didn't hear from you on a post today. You've been a little quieter than normal and I wanted to make sure you were ok. Never hesitate to give me a shout on Discord. I use Threema messaging app on my phone too if you want my profile code. (No phone numbers change hands, so very secure.)
Anyway, it'll be quiet around here tomorrow, except for a few video chats...We'll eat, snooze, watch a movie or two...I'll drop a weekend-engagement topic also...A usual sort of day off I guess.
Anyway take it easy mate.
P.s. Range Rover or Land Rover? No matter I guess, they all have electrical problems, or so I'm told.
I'm pretty sure he said Land Rover. It was a parking lot upgrade, he said they have a gozillion cars on the lot, and he'd never driven a Rover. He was thinking the original Toyota would have been a better bet today :)
This is a sort of quiet time of year for me.
Yeah, that happens; Upgrades. The good thing is it's theirs not his because fixing those buggers up is not the cheapest thing.
Quiet mate, yeah, it will be here too. The thing is though, that no matter the distance between people, those that are connected will always be. Small consolation at times, but much better than no connection.