A Christmas Tale

Christmas at the Mansion started at 6:15 a.m. By the time the wrapping paper stopped flying, it was 7:40. The boys disappeared to fiddle with new toys: a book for The Pony, and a Zune HD thingy for the #1 son.

The book is now finished, and #1 follows me around telling me to touch the screen of his Zune. He had another Zune that he got a couple of years ago, but this must be a fancier version. The Pony also received a Kindle, and jealously guards it from #1. Little does he know that every night after he went to bed, #1 got out his precious Kindle and had a heyday with it. Not that he wanted one for himself. He said he would never use one. But he sure likes gadgets. His gift for The Pony was to purchase and download five books on his Kindle. However, The Pony had Christmas-listed several print books, and chose one of them to read first. But he carried his Kindle in its little case out to Grandma's house.

Simple H was most enamored with his gift of a bejeweled chicken that doubles as a ring-holder. The top of it flips open to reveal the secret compartment. It appears to be metal with shiny gems all about, held shut by magnetic attraction. His fleeced vest and Carhartt coat were nothing to sneeze at, either.

I did better than a $2 change purse and box of SnoCaps this year. OK, so that was actually a Mother's Day bounty. But still, I got a watch and some Seinfeld DVDs and a soft, soft blankie, and some fruit medley and some Zebra pens. Not bad for an effort by the men of the house. I suppose they are embarrassed because I immortalized them in a whiny essay after the Seinfeld Scene-It debacle last year.

More on that tomorrow.