WHITE CHRISTMAS IN VERMONT

["JOHN AYERS" <ayers@bypass.com>]

It's Christmas morning here in rural Vermont's 
"Northeast Kingdom".  It is now snowing on top of
ten inches of snow on the ground.  The temperature 
outside is plus five degrees F.  I'm using my laptop 
computer in the Country Kitchen of this 1809 farm-
house and marvel at the changes in technology this 
room has seen.  

Another "Old Geezer" tells me this 25 foot square room
with hand-hewn ceiling beams,  was once divided into
four rooms and housed his grandparents and their parents
There is a huge wood-burning cookstove in the center
that is keeping us cozy warm.

Springer Spaniels, Jenny and Suzie, are watching
Arab gelding, Meshack, through the large picture
window in the breakfast nook, as he cavorts in the
snow.  I am so very grateful that God has provided
such wonderful creatures for our companionship.  I
cannot adequately describe how much joy they bring 
to me each day.


Yesterday my wife of 24 years cooked a small turkey
and we had a Christmas Eve candlelit dinner for two 
with pink champagne.  She's sleeping in this morning
...a well-deserved rest.

And I would be remiss not to thank all of our Internet
friends.  With your posts we can never feel isolated
from the rest of the world.

I think that one of the joys of living here in rural Vermont
is the beauty in nature.  We marvel at the sunsets over
the mountains five miles to the west and the views that
are ever-changing with the seasons.

I am now going out on x-country skis to exercise the
dogs and me.  Afterward I'll hitch Meshack to the sleigh
and practice for the next rally.  Finally, we'll have
dinner at a lovely old Country Inn where we have gone
for most of the past 24 Christmases called, ironically, 
"The Old Cutter Inn".

Wherever you are, we hope you are similarly blessed
and are enjoying a very Merry Christmas!

John and Critters