January 18th, 2021

I can hear you thinking, "What?  Isn't she done droning on and on (and on!) about Christmas yet?"  Short answer, No.  No I'm not.  I enjoy Christmas so much that I could probably think of something to say about it every day of the year.  But that would kind of be a one note blog theme and I would rather talk about whatever I want to talk about and not be held to one particular topic.

So today I will talk about.....Christmas!   LOL  Well belated Christmas because that's what we did yesterday.   For the first time in a VERY long time we got together with some of our favourite people on the planet. Yes, my friends, it was Minock Day!  YAYAYAYAY!

Back when we were neighbors in Colorado, we saw each other nearly every day.   Then when Tim and I moved to Florida it was perhaps, 3 or 4 times a year when Tim had to go back to CO for business and I tagged along.  And while better than nothing, it was not nearly enough Minock time.  Then they also moved to Florida and we changed our get-together's to once a month!  Much Better! Either we made the trek up to their place (about 2+ hours north of us) or they jumped in the car and headed south to us.  While it wasn't the same as being neighbors, like the old days, it was awesome to have that get-together day to look forward to every month.

And then 2020 happened and of course it call changed again.  Since March of 2020 when the lockdown in Florida happened to yesterday, Minock days have been few and far between, which makes them all the more precious when they happen.  And yesterday it happened.

It was our turn to journey north to them.  Well partly it was our turn but mostly it was because we SOOOO wanted to see their beautiful new home!    And see it we did.  We toured, we admired, we discussed and Tim helped put up some photo ledges in the living room.  In no time at all, it didn't feel like a new place, it just felt like their place.  It truly is a perfect expression of who our friends are.  Yeah, we are fans.

And we also did Christmas.  Belatedly.  And I have to tell you, the only thing better than Christmas, is a belated Christmas. Especially a Minock belated Christmas because they "do" Christmas differently than anyone I've ever known.  There is food, of course, good company, naturally.  There might be a project involved.  It could be involve art or hatchets or anything in between. And there will definitely be games.  That's right, I said games.

You see, in the Minock household, they don't just open gifts.  Anybody can do that.  To open a gift in their house you have to win the opportunity.  And it's complex.  There are a lot of elements involved.  It might involve saran wrap, or brain games, or physical challenges,  or dice.  Or all of those things.  Or other things.  Who knows what it might be.  All I can tell you without giving it away, is that it is time consuming, hillarious and So Dang Much Fun!!!

The photo at the top of the page is two of the ornaments we came home with. Aren't they justso beautiful? I absolutely Love them!!!  Also returned with other goodies, including some of Marsha's home made amazing caramel corn which is the BEST in the entire universe, peanut butter fingers and friendship bread. 

It was a great lifting of our spirits.  Part of it truly was celebrating a belated Christmas which at their house is a sort of a combination of summer camp and Christmas (two awesome things), part of it was the company and all of it was wonderful.

As per usual, had a great time.  Looking forward to the next Minock Day, whenever that might be.  Some things, like some people, are worth waiting for.