“Season’s Greetings”

I make no apologies. As a writer, this is my favorite time of year sports-wise. Basketball, basketball and more basketball. But I hate the weather. The cold wreaks havoc on joints that aren’t all that enthusiastic about activity even in July and my small boat, Triflin’, sits forlornly cocooned for the winter; my escape mechanism in hibernation. Skim ice is already forming on the lake, the forest of trees around our home stand stark and leafless and even the dogs have succumbed. Freckles, our small setter, has retreated to her bed in the garage and spends most of the day sleeping with her tail wrapped over her nose. Beau, the wind-up toy Bijon-Poodle, eschews the outdoors all together. He has taken over our bed and would also sleep the day away with his nose tucked under his tail, if he had one; a tail that is. Pat goes off daily to her job in the corporate world and I sit at my computer typing out stories, hoping that my muse is not also in hibernation.

Canada geese, which fly into the lake in 100-bird flocks on a daily basis, provide some diversion. Their socialization patterns are fascinating to watch, particularly as they break into family groups and prepare to fly out each evening. It’s amazing how family works into the equation, especially this time of year.

And there is basketball to contemplate. I say contemplate because, unlike the game overload of the past two weeks, the high school basketball teams are on Christmas break; a really long one from December 14th to January 3rd. Powhatan’s boys play two games in the Fluvanna Tournament, Goochland travels to Northampton for a holiday tournament and Blessed Sacrament Huguenot girls participate in the Covenant Christmas Tournament, all on the same two days, December 26th and 27th. All other teams are on hiatus. Obviously, at best, I’ll have to rely on a two game transfusion, on back to back days, to keep my basketball blood platelets at survival level until Jan. 4, 2008, when the Powhatan boys host Nottoway.

Miraculously the Good Lord has provided a more than wonderful solution, Christmas itself. The season has already given one of my most favorite people two wonderful gifts. Secrets to this point; but Powhatan Today will make an announcement on one and the other will eventually be leaked despite the new couples’ desire to be low key. Oops!

But most of all it will be our family. Pat and I are both divorced and operate in one of those difficult multiple parent and grandparent situations which have us competing for family time. This is particularly true during holiday seasons.

Pat is a genius at figuring out ways to be non-competitive while establishing traditions for our new families. Thanksgiving used to have the kids and grandkids taking on three Thanksgiving dinners. We solved that dilemma with a Thanksgiving breakfast.  That worked out so well that we agreed to make what appeared to be an even greater sacrifice by giving up Christmas Day! We now get the entire family on Christmas Eve. And we get them first! The level of excitement is equal to Christmas morning for the grandkids and we have established a very special unhurried time sharing tradition with our children.

There is nothing I could wish for all of you than to have the same experience within your own families. Hopefully this will also be a time of great sharing for all of you. Pat and I want to thank you all for allowing us to share our family with you. Please have a special holiday season.