Warm Christmas

I'm a little behind in posting since I decided to enjoy the holiday break and not spend time at the computer.  We headed off to sunny - and most importantly, warm - New Mexico to spend the Christmas break with my parents.  They called in special weather, since the weather forecast a couple of days before we came was for temperatures in the 30's.  Fortunately when we got there, the day time temps were in the 50's or 60's.  This became especially nice once you read below about what we returned to Wisconsin to face.

We had a great time in New Mexico relaxing, reading, working our way through all our favorite Mexican restaurants, and playing cards.  On the card front, for one of the first times, Mom and I were the big winners.  Usually, we draw horribly and have gone down to defeat after defeat to Jo and Dad.  But this time we came out victorious in the overall card game count.  And yes, we plan to lord it over them for the rest of the year.  No reason to be a gracious winner when you only manage to do it once every five or six years.  Who will remember how bad of winners we were by the next time we are the overall winners. 

On Christmas eve we set out the customary luminaries that folks in New Mexico use to light the way for Santa Claus (I'm sure that's not the real reason but it sounds like the best use of them to me).  And on Christmas day we exchanged gifts with Jo and I picking up some very nice clothes along with the ever fun stocking stuffers. 

But all too soon it was time to pack up to head home to very frigid temperatures.  When we left Albuquerque it was 60 degrees.  When we landed in Milwaukee it was -3.  Yes a 60 degree temperature swing in about six hours.  Needless to say, our bodies were not happy.  But the car started so that is always a good sign.