At the controls of a 6000 horsepower snowmakin' freightrain

Ever pass thru the I-80 & I-29 Junction, lets have coffee.

I will spend part of the day with friends.
Son is at sea & his family is in Seattle.

Distant from any other family, which causes an emptiness, but know it is for the best.

Christmas Eve with kids and Christmas day alone

I'll be at my daughter with the grand kids for Christmas.

My X will be there too manO

I 'm sooO sorry ((((Carol))))

Hey QM, that movie is on all day Fri TBs and Thurs @ 8p(?). The Christmas story? Never saw it but saw you guys speaking of it somewhere...gonna try and watch it, hope it's on Christmas night...

I want to take this question deeper.

How many will spend the hoildays with friends, but still feel something is missing?

WHY do you think that is?

I'll be staying here on the ranch for Christmas...I'll call my children of course, and tell them I love'em and miss them..then I'll get on here and see if anyone is around...and maybe turn on a football game..that about sums up my holidays.

Wednesday my daughter will be here for christmas, then on Christmas it will be my son and me. This year he didn't want a tree, so I didn't push for one but things feel strange without one. sigh.

Sage, to answer your question, I have felt like something has been missing for years. Maybe it is because when I was young, we would open presents at home in the morning, go to my dad's parents for lunch and then go to my mom's parents for dinner(my 3 uncles and 22 assorted cousins would be there). Christmas to me is being with everyone you love best. That seems to have dwindled down now to my kids, and they are usually busy with other things. I tried to find somewhere that I could volunteer to help out this year, but everyone said they had more than enough people for their needs. It is wonderful that so many people are willing to share their time with others, but now I will feel a little lonely.

I know that I am surrounded, still missing...

I Just Saw Her

I seem to always come here,
though the quiet is too still.
Maybe hoping I could hear
that voice," T'was Once" my will.
"Just Before" awakened,
"Dawning" in my soul,
Then, "Now Gone" became
"Alone", and known, "Once More".
This year as I hang,
"Remember" on the tree,
while everyone is struck by awe,
at least they can't see me.
So, as I tiptoe quietly,
to be that special place,
where no one knows when I'm not there,
"Perhaps".. "My Saving Grace".

Raine Les 12/23/2009

When I was young every holiday was celebrated by the whole family being together, grandparents,uncles,aunts,cousins,siblings...the 'whole' family. The womem cooked and gossiped , the men played poker and drank a little beer. The kids were kids and played outside and stole cookies from the table each time they ran in and out.Then things changed, slowly. First one family couldn't come and then another.
Now here I am, where I am and my family is 400 miles away..They are alone and so am I..It's very depressing.

400 miles, geez with Texas hyways and a good V8 motor you could be there in a couple of hours.

LOL actually it takes 8 hrs...our highway boys are out in force during the holidays...I have to work this Christmas...or believe me, I'd go see the kids.

I remember the good ole day like that when I was a kid. Most the aunts and uncles have past.

I'm going to my middle daughters on Thur afternoon and staying overnight(weather may be bad).. Youngest daughter and her hubby coming in from PA ans will stay. Having our exchange on Xmas eve as the gsons have gfs and have other places to go on Xmas.. Granddaughter flew to Denver yesterday to spend the holidays with her mom(my oldest) and my son will be joining us if he doesn't have to work( works for ODOT)... Wishing you all a very Merry Chrisimas!

Our family keeps getting smaller with my mom, husband and the kids father and some aunts and uncles that used to join us are all gone now...its kind of sad..

I know....all my dad's family is gone..only a couple of cousins left.
Two aunts on my mom's side are left, and some cousins..all our families are shrinking...especially with the divorce rate..it is sad!