Garden Pretties & A Visit With Ho Ho

My garden is slowing shriveling and deflating with the creeping frost. There is a protective hedge around my little garden which seems to keep the deep freeze at bay for as long as possible. The time has come though and the frost is stretching closer and closer to the house each night. I have been a neglectful gardener and left all of my plants standing where they grew all summer long. I try to make myself feel better by thinking of all the nutritious seeds left out there for the birds. That seems to work. Yes, my weed pit and I are keeping our winter birdies well fed.

This weekend we are all keeping a low profile. Cesar came home early from work last night with swollen glands. I am not myself just yet either. I seriously thought about sleeping in the guest room last night so that Cesar and I would have less chance of swapping virus bugs. Didn't happen. I couldn't resist a good snuggle.

There is a small problem to our keeping a low profile this weekend. The small problems name is H-u-g-o, Hugo. Our Mr Hugo is completely 100% a-okay. Yesterday he bounced around the house like a ping pong ball from mess to mess and t-r-o-u-b-l-e. His lethargic, sleepy days are a thing of the past. I haven't thought of his trouble making as being naughty before. More like he is curious, like a little monkey he so enjoys reading about before nap time. Yesterday I was beginning to feel like he might be tormenting me on purpose. I counted the minutes until nap time like I haven't done since his early baby days. His nap was short. S-h-o-r-t, short. I began counting the hours (hours!?) until the possibility of bed time. I was in t-r-o-u-b-l-e.

Then, a miracle happened. My very own, personal, mini miracle.

Shaka phoned up and announced she would be picking up H-u-g-o, trouble maker extraordinaire of mine, as soon as her boys were off the bus. She left no room in our brief conversation for my buts, buts, buts. Our Church was holding it's Christmas party that night. I had been a little sad about not going. I had wanted to see everyone and eat good food and sing carols and watch the children perform the nativity. Hugo was going to be a frog just like last year. Santa was also scheduled to visit. Now Hugo wouldn't miss out on the party. I quickly got him dressed. All I had to do was mention Thing 3's name and he was off, racing up the stairs ready for me to dress him. Happy I was when Shaka and her boys met Hugo at the door, but not happier than Hugo. I think his Christmas wish arrived early this year with his riding in Shaka's van near the big boys. He didn't look back. There was no wave of his little hand for me. I didn't even get his coat or hat on him. Out the door he booked it.

Late, late last night Hugo arrived home. So strange to think he went to a party without me! We had to be quiet because Poppa was already tucked into his sheets, snoring away. I asked Hugo if he saw Santa. He said, "No Momma, Ho Ho."

Santa is Ho Ho at our house.