Santa Claus is Coming to Town - and So is Family

It is the best time of the year. Since we live in Florida - even if it is only Tallahassee - it is enough to attract the family for the holidays.

Keith flew in yesterday from Washington DC and Drew and his lovely life Robin will be arriving today at 4PM. They are leaving a couple of feet of snow behind in Syracuse.

We will celebrate the Holidays - eat lots of food - go see some Seminole basketball games - play some games - visit neighbors - go biking - take walks - shop - and just enjoy each other.

It looks like this Christmas will find most of our friends home. George and Joel just returned from two weeks on the road in Mexico. Wayne and Shirley have family coming here too.

Wayne just build a beautiful deck on his house that overlooks the garden. Pretty soon - a hot tub will grace the backyard. What a nice oasis he has created

There is a leak in our swimming pool - so our party guests will have to stare at an empty hole. Repair can wait until after they have gone home.

The weather is perfect outside for refugees from the north. They have not had 70 degrees in a month and will not see it again until May.

We have all considered piling in the van and going to the bowl game in Nashville. But not everybody is retired and some of us must return to the office.

This is the first time we will not be returning to the hills of Pennsylvania for at least part of the season. Next trip north will be to Philadelphia in early January for an American Library Association convention. Maybe we will sneak in the Valley for a night - if the weather agrees.

Christmas is time for family - we are lucky to have family and good friends together to celebrate this time of "good will toward all women and men." Our only wish is that we could spend some time with all the friends and family back in Schuylkill and Carbon counties - the coal country hills where we were born.