Christmas Eve

Dix called Frances, our old Houston neighbor who now lives in Georgia. She says we should move to Fort Collins - easier to visit the family from, yet not too close. She said her lousy brother-in-law did not tell her her sister had died. Makes me wonder if there was a coroner's report. She said she recently got aggressively panhandled at WalMart. When reporting the incident to a clerk, she was told not to dress so extravagantly. Kind of like she was asking for it. She's spending money this year, including her first computer because her minister is no longer making phone calls for church announcements - only emails. Frances always makes us feel fortunate.

Dix had me talked into having porcelain tile installed in the kitchen. Part of the justification was to enhance an eventual sale, or expedite it, or just plain make it prettier if we stay. She went to sign the contract on the last day of the 10% off holiday promotion. Instead she decided to cancel the project, feeling that I was not totally on board, which I admitted was true. In fact, I am relieved we don't have to rip out the old quaint linoleum, move the appliances, clean out the pantry, unhook the radiator and spend five grand we would not likely totally recover. Instead our attention is more focused to deciding where do we want to go. I washed and waxed the floor in appreciation and slept very soundly last night.

Santa gave Dix a wireless mouse for her laptop. It's small size for the lady's hand and an elegant pearl color with a frosty flower design. Milo is attracted to its shape and click, and he seems to recognize some relationship between the mouse and the pointer movement on the screen.