However, for all that, being rather miserable and all, I had a pretty decent day. I even sang (in a weird sort of voice) while curled up on the couch.
Everybody got up kind of late (that is what happens when it's so overcast that the rising of the sun doesn't make over much of a dint in the clouds)...as previously mentioned I woke up miserable, a condition I would carry with me in my flesh for the remainder of the day (and to be honest, I still don't feel in tip-top shape). However, I determined that I was going to enjoy myself (as far as possible) and took the first step towards that in the form of dressing myself in something other than my nightgown. I was going to at least look half way decent! (Forget the make-up though. I wasn't going to go that far.)
I returned to my spot on the couch and snuggled under the blanket were I would stay, more or less, until roughly 2 o'clock when we went out to the apartment for Christmas Dinner with my grandparents, were I requisitioned Grandpa's big overstuffed power chair. I tried to eat, but only managed a spoonful of green beans and some cranberry salad. It's almost scary to be off one's feed that kind of badly.
However, to return to earlier in the day...
Savannah flipped the lid back on the piano and started playing...and I started singing (I don't know if howling like a puppy might not be a better description) or humming if I couldn't remember the words. I am positive I sounded terrible, but no one complained, so I guess I wasn't irritating anyone too badly.
I think it was around 10:30 when everyone was "ready" and Katherine started producing stuff from under our very fat, almost huggable looking tree. We have a tradition in our house that the youngest kid passes out the gifts. I think, maybe, that part of the reasoning behind it in the beginning was the teach patience and a giving spirit (you know, littles tend to like getting more than they do giving...at least I did back when I was tiny); however, I'm just speculating since I don't really know why the tradition was initiated.
"Meet Mrs. Fledge"
The Evening