holy day

Of course, Merry Christmas to readers, friends, family and lurkers.

The sun is shining this morning in our townlet, and we putter around between Franklin and the cats, who together in our presence become a silent audience, attentative and watching. They are used to our daily rituals, and days like today offer new things to watch. They must be thinking How odd these humans are or what does any of this have to do with hunting, along with isn't it time for another feeding?

Church was packed last night. We have three services on Christmas Eve. The full choir only sings at the last one at 10 pm. The new incense was used, the one that is not supposed to choke asthmatics, and I noticed that the general waves of coughing was much smaller than in previous years.

It was amazing the faces that I did not recognized as they walked through the choir to the altar. Many are family members gathered from across the country. Others come, their lives passing through in directions that may or may not bring them back.

Partner is downstairs playing with his gift, that is setting it up and learning how to make it work. We had an old fashioned breakfast of bacon, eggs and homemade buttermilk bisquits. We watched the National Cathedral Christmas service on television -- actually part of it, we never seem to remember to start it on time. When we lived in DC, we went to the service a few times. The flood of television lights in the Cathedral makes it especially warm and cheerful on what is often a cold and cloudy gray day.

It feels so good to be home and nesting, with little tension from traveling, or being out away from home. All is quiet in these parts.

A merry Christmas, indeed.