Ghost of Christmas Past

Ok, no ghost, but Christmas is past. All in all it was a very nice one. Seemed like the entire season passed me by too quickly though. I am not, and never will be, one of those people who are happy to see it go, and yank all of their decorations down the next day.

People at work seem happy that it's over, and I wonder if it's just because they aren't doing it right. Possibly viewing it as too much work, too expensive, too time consuming, etc. While I admit that it can be those things, it does not have to be. I suppose it's all in how you go about it, or maybe it's just the glass half empty or half full scenario.

Here are my young adults opening their gifts:

It rarely snows here in the deep South, and it has never happened in my life on Christmas Day. By some freak force of nature, I can now say that I've experienced at least a semi-white Christmas. Certainly no blizzard, and it didn't stick around long, but it was something that I will always remember.

Fantasy football is over. I finished a respectable 2nd. Soon college football will be over. The only thing left on the calendar for a while is New Year's Eve, and the 3rd year anniversary of Mrs. Leslie and I this Sunday.

Made It!

Despite not getting any new employees, I somehow managed to make it through and will now be rewarded with four glorious off days for Christmas. Having today, the day before Christmas Eve, has proven to be extremely beneficial as I was able to get everything cooked and baked this morning. Now I can just kick back and take it easy tomorrow until time to head out to my family get-together tomorrow night.

Both of my semi-adult children wanted new cell phones for Christmas, and that is what they got. I told them that would be all they get, but of course started feeling guilty and went and bought them several more things each. For Mrs. Leslie, I bought a giant new computer monitor. Not that the one she has now isn't good, but isn't bigger always better? I'd like to come up with some great surprise for our three year anniversary coming up January 2nd, but am drawing a blank. Despite knowing her inside and out, she is not, and never will be an easy person to buy for.

We bought Kit Kat a new pet bed for Christmas, which she is totally ignoring. She prefers to sleep on a re-usable grocery tote. She better be glad she's cute. Here she is inside her tote:

By some stroke of luck, my fantasy football team made it into the playoffs and managed to knock off the best team in the league last week. This week I play for the championship. Of course I want to win it all, but am content with the fact that my team can do no worse than 2nd place. Considering the caliber of players I have, and all the damn injuries my key people have sustained, I could have done a lot worse.

Belated Trip Pics

At the bottom of this post are just a few of the photos I took while we were in St. Augustine last month. Wish I could post them all, but that would take all day, and photos never really do a place justice anyway.

Yesterday Mrs. Leslie and I drove down to Montgomery to see my bother in a show at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. He scored us box seats. I had never been in the box seats for a show before. It was freaking wonderful! As I looked down on the crowded mass of people below us, stretched out, got comfortable, and determined that I never want to sit with the masses ever again!

I have most of my Christmas shopping done. The kids wanted expensive cell phones, so they won't be getting much above that. I hate it, because I like for them to have lots to open on Christmas morning. But hey, you want a $250 phone, don't expect tons more on top of that. Both swear that they could care less. The desire they had for these phones was much like Ralphie and his Red Ryder.

Work has been nothing short of insane. We lost a few employees last week. Couldn't have come at a worse time. I am doing the work of three people until replacements are hired. However, there is no way for replacements to be hired and trained in time to help with this Christmas bombardment of work that descends on us each year. I'm trying to view it as a challenge, a marathon of sorts, that I need to complete. If I can just make it through this coming week with my sanity in tact, I come out a winner and am rewarded with several days off.

November Was Kickin' It

November has blown past me. Such is life when you are busy.

My son turned 19 years old on November 14th. Seems crazy that he is that old now.

We traveled to St. Augustine, Florida for Thanksgiving. Mrs. Leslie's mother lives there. I had never been, and really loved it. I love the ocean, but on top of that, there is so much to do. We toured the oldest house in America, went on historical, and Christmas lights tours. Took a boat tour around the harbor while drinking Heineken (too cool), visited Ripley's to see the weirdness of the world, had some good seafood, took in an art show, and went to the beach of course. I'll upload some of the pics I took later this week.

I like to have the Christmas trees up the day after Thanksgiving, but since Mrs. Leslie's son was arriving in town, and we wouldn't be home, we put them up crazy early. The neighbors probably thought we were nut jobs, but I could care less. :)

Small "Roll Tide" tree in the den...

Full size "sentimental" tree in the living room...

Football season is winding down. 'Bama finished with a respectable record, and will be going to a bowl game. My fantasy team has been less than dominant, but is still the front runner for the wild card spot in the playoffs.

Life is good, and I have nothing more than the standard complaints.