Cards are in the mail -- Woot!

The morning started slowly and normally enough.  Both cats on my side of the bed and my feet with nowhere to go.  Lay there in the dark for awhile, thinking about the Christmas cards waiting to be made and mustering the strength to extricate myself from the feline weights on my legs.  This was eventually done.  No cat woke up in the process.

And then I made my cup of coffee and got to work on those cards.  We've made our own for most of the past 6 years or so -- perhaps it's because we don't get out much, but both Bruce and myself enjoy our yearly ritual of decorating the horse as the focal point of these works of art.  Cornelius has become used to wearing hats, bells, bows and all other sorts of Christmas frou-frou-iness.  This year he got off easy:  all he had on was a table runner tied around his neck at a jaunty angle.  Even more to his liking --  this year the props included edible items, which he made every effort to eat.  Somehow Bruce got a several good shots and (through judicious enlarging and cropping) we ended up with a few pics we could use. 

The photo shoot was on Saturday.  We picked up the photos in town on Sunday and bought some colored pens with which to decorate the cards.  And today we got all the cards finished and off in the mail.  I thought that this project would be stretched out over the next few days, and, in darker moments, wondered if we'd even get it done this year.  This morning the plan was just to start and see what happened.

Everything of importance to the task spread out on the table: cards, lists, poinsettia, candle and cat on pillow.  Got the envelopes addressed, and began embellishing the margins of the cards with red, green and silver Sharpie pens.  Time consuming, but sort of fun.  Mama had spent the night, so when she came out for her morning coffee I handed her a pen and nudged a few cards her way.  We got down to coloring in earnest and  became a Christmas card  assembly line as we filled in the embossed areas of the cards.



Arby taking a bit of a break to smile for the camera



Mama taking a bit of a break to smile for the camera



Mama back to work.  Arby back asleep.







We had such a good time.  I played my winter Sting CD that has "The Cold Song" on it and both Bruce and Mama indulged me.  I love this strange, ghostly song (we refer to it as "The saddest song in the world") and, perverse as I am, it absolutely puts me into the holiday spirit.  Bruce cooked up some eggs and toast for us as we worked away, laughing and talking and having a lovely time.  I don't think I've colored with Mama since I was about six.  I shouldn't have waited so long!
                                                                                                           

Cornelius, the Christmas Horse


Eventually Mama had to go home.  Bruce and I finished up not long after that and the whole lot got stamped and dropped off at the post office.  Most of them will arrive late for Christmas, but, with Corny's big mug beaming from the front, I think we'll be forgiven.