Merry Christmas

PawPaw and Belle, having coffee on a quiet Christmas morning.  It has long been our habit to celebrate with the kids and grandkids on Christmas Eve.  That lets them celebrate with the other side of the family at their leisure.  Therefore, Christmas Day at PawPaw's house is kinda quiet.

Yesterday was busy, joyful, lots of food, lots of friends, lots of fun.  Except that PawPaw hisself was putting chlorine in the pool and got a snoot-full of chlorine gas.  I very nearly went to the emergency room, but with two Registered Nurses in attendance I was treated appropriately and pulled through.  It took several hours, though, and as I told them, I'm still not 100%, but I hav en't been 100% for a decade or longer. 

That's the second time that I've poisoned myself with chlorine in the past decade, and both times it was scary as hell.  I can't imagine how scary it must have been for the soldiers of WW1 battlefields when chlorine gas was used.  Suddenly you just cannot breathe.

But, in a couple of hours of hacking and coughing, I was back to my normal level of decrepitude and was able to enjoy the festivities without scaring the grandkids.  Today, Belle and I will drive to Jena, LA to spend some hours with her family. 

I hope that everyone is enjoying Christmas in their own fashion, and that each of us takes time ro reflect on the meaning of the season.  Merry Christmas, everyone.