Happy Post-Hollidays

As is somewhat typical of myself, I lived mostly in exile through-out the holidays. Oh I emerged for anything fun, and to eat, but mostly I stayed in my room or in my trailer reading or working on a soapstone carving or metal or...etc., etc.

We- the family and I- have been staying with Shawna's parents in Divide, Colorado since
late summer. The building season was just tapering off but I found plenty of work with Lee, my father in law, who is a contractor. We have finished up some houses he was working on and some side projects as well. In Lee I have have found a great friend, and friendship means a lot to me.

The Chapmans

The girls have gotten plenty of time with their Oma and Opa, Shawna is getting to know her parents again, as an adult, and I have found a new friend and pal in Shawna's brother Austin.
Shawna's sister, Tashina, lives near here too with her husband, Allen, and their little one, Travis, so Shawna has gotten to spend lots of time with them as well. Allen works with Lee also and he and I have become great pals. He and I work well together and share a lot of common interests.

After much snow - two blizzards and two or three large dumps - and the thrill of Shawna's other little brother, Nick, visiting from Fort Campbell, Kentucky -we can now finally poke our heads out and savor the memories. From two days before Christmas until after New Years Day I was only able to drive out on three different occasions. Even when it was not snowing the wind would drift the snow up especially around the cars and trucks, my own more so than the others due it's location. Often we just dug out enough to get Lee's truck out and just left my Suburban buried.

Lee had to plow the driveway several times between Christmas and New Years.

Christmas day went well with the hoard of presents both girls got from everybody. This was the first time that the girls had had a holiday with this side of the family and everyone made a big occasion out of it. This was also the first time in nine years that Shawna's parents had had all four kids home for Christmas, so this holiday season was special for everyody.

The whole clan.

Anyway, I hope everybody had a good holiday and we hope and pray for everyones health and happiness in the year(s) to come.

Shawna's mother, Sue, tells Santa her Christmas wishes.

Cassandra and Melody have really grown to love their cousin Travis.

Lee during his morning ritual.


Winter can be beautiful.