Dog Tired

So most days we bring Sam, our chocolate lab, with us to the factory. Today, for our lunch break, we decided to go for a walk around the factory park. We wandered through the tall grass and stepped over trash while Sam rushed back and forth, finding any puddles he could after the hard rain yesterday. In his running around, he got more and more excited which means he runs faster and more frantically. He's not a small dog, so when he gets to full force, he can do some serious damage. Lucky for him, he had some wide open space to go crazy. As Chris and I walked single-file along the narrow path, we waved at the guys working in the field on the other side of the fence. Then within one minute, Sam came plowing full speed down the path and Chris dodged out of the way. I couldn't see Sam and didn't have time to move as he flew into my knee. I collapsed instantly and screamed in pain. You know I hit the ground hard when I had mud all over my jeans, dirt and grass in my hair and later found a blade of grass in my teeth! I think the workers wondered what on earth happened. Chris immediately called back to the factory to have someone bring our car to pick me up. The park manager came to meet us and insisted I see the doctor at the Pepsi plant. The doctor was NOT in so I saw the male nurse. Of course, the jeans I'm wearing are skinny jeans so it was quite a feat to get the nurse to take a look at my knee. I returned to the office, limping....all in a day's work!

Marriage Facial

It's funny...I think I have yet to do a facial when my husband is around. Why is that? I mean, after already seeing me at my best AND my worst, am I really concerned what he might think if I wear a face mask?

The things I've realized is that marriage itself is really like a facial. It brings all my impurities to the surface. And wow! Let's just say, that after most facials, the initial sight isn't pretty...but soon enough, the redness subsides and beauty starts to surface.

Santa's Workshop

As the youngest child of six kids, I picked up a lot of things from my older siblings. I found myself following in the footsteps of my older siblings, even if it cost me (a finger ;), including things like paper routes, swim team, going to the same college, etc. But it took on other forms as well, like picking up the family traditions that the older ones grew out of...especially at Christmas. I was the last one to still deliver homemade coffeecakes and carmels to the neighbors. I still played various roles in the family play of the nativity scene. And the one tradition that seemed to stick the longest, yes, into my 30s...some traditions never die...was writing to Santa. The best part of Christmas is the kids, so as my family expanded to nieces and nephews, I guess I held onto the letter-writing as one last way to still be a kid at Christmas.

So in my childhood fantasy, I could never explain the magical mountain of presents in the living room. Now, I get to see the real thing--Santa's Workshop. I get to see Santa at work and be one of the elves hard at work--especially at the time of shipment. Let me tell you, it's no magic, it's hard work and long hours but nonetheless, just as rewarding.

Christmas Eve or not, Santa never sleeps.