Our World: OUR CHRISTMAS LETTER

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

OUR CHRISTMAS LETTER

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Christmas at our house---a few favorite things and a lot of music, Vern's art, the family. What are we doing?

We have a big Christmas recital for my 50 piano students on the 23rd in an auditorium, a very large production, so I must prepare my students. Val is usually found singing in choir and choral productions. We love to bake good things and have friends over. In the quiet evenings Val studies his German and we listen to Beethoven and Handel, and we try to take in one or two of the many concerts available here before Christmas. Then the kids, our family, converge on us for Christmas, the fun part, when the noise and celebration begin. The house gets messy, kids are everywhere, the smells of good food and the familiar "Hey Mom" remind me of years ago. Life is so good.

Judy and Val

Puffy's story

One night a stray cat came around. It was so filthy and matted and injured that it looked like it should be put out if its misery. On its back was a huge mat of fur and mud and debris the size of two good sized books. We tried to catch the poor thing but night after night it came to eat but ran away from us. Val would finally get it to come sniff his hand and gradually would get it to come and let him pet it. Over time he would get the cat to let him get close enough to trim away some of its "backpack." One night it came into the house for a bit, and Val was allowed to cut off the offending mess on its back. Underneath the poor cat had thin, balding hair. He was so appreciative to be relieved of the weight of that mess on his back that from then on he could come into our house and allow us to pet him and make friends with him. At first he hid under beds and furniture, but over the weeks he befriended Sammy and copied everything Sammy did, becoming a first-rate housecat. He even ventured out and made friends with everybody in our household including my piano students. Today Puffy is friendly and outgoing, smart and obedient, and a very pleasant cat without any bad habits. He is a great pet.