Prayers abound...

For my cousins Mark and Nancy Jean and their families. Their father (my uncle) Ashley Phelps passed on Saturday, December 15th. It is my wish that my beautiful Aunt Diane (and I mean beautiful) was there to greet him at Heaven's Gate. They had been married so very long and after Diane's death earlier this year, Ashley just couldn't go on any longer.

I find myself really having to be careful around the holidays. My depression has a tendency to sneak up on me during the festive times. I reminiscent....get missing my grandparents, wishing I could have said certain things to people before they left my life, etc.....

Okay, now I am crying all my mascara off.

I haven't opened one present this year AND I even have some under the tree. I am FINALLY maturing at age 43 (okay, that's a stretch). I usually know every single present by at least a week before Xmas. My dad would keep a pretty close eye on me, but I could usually sneak open one end of the wrapping to see what was underneath.

I think my mom may have utilized other people's houses for hiding spots during the Big Sky era. That house wasn't very big (the little big house, remember ?) but I don't remember finding much when I snooped. Funny, that house still looks great. You can see it just east of Bozeman on the north side of the freeway up in the hills. The new owners have done some nice work to it...looks cool.

The merciless teasing of my cousin Tommy has to wait until tomorrow. But I would like to have him help me with this math problem....

50 year old man (holy !!) + hockey stick + sheet of ice = ??? (I came up with DISASTER !!)

You ain't Patrick Roy, silly...Bobby Orr, maybe !!