Sue and I take a perverse pleasure in characterizing ourselves as 'we are not planners.' At times, some degree of planning is forced upon us. Apparently one cannot just show up at the airport and take a seat and ask the pilot to take me Seattle. The airlines insist that we have planned a specific day, a specific time and a specific flight to a specific destination.
Wanting to celebrate Christmas 2022 together requires some degree of planning. We talked over the phone as she scrolled through travel booking options on her computer. One option was Jet Blue; inexpensive, but to get the cheapest deal she would have to commit to become a member to benefit from their discounts. Jet Blue travel would also require a layover. I suggested that Jet Blue was not the best plan.
Another option was Southwest Airlines. Convenient departure point in Dallas, but again a layover was required and I thought any planned layover during holiday travel was akin to planning on trouble.
We agreed to plan on flying direct from Dallas to Seattle on Alaska Air. For a few dollars more one could pretty much plan on the fact that once in the air, you were going to make it to Seattle. No layover, no fuss, no muss. No brainer.
It was a good plan. Winter weather across the continent had snarled air traffic and brought consternation to the holiday traveling nation. Southwest had a horrific meltdown in their system, stranding tens of thousands and sending their luggage to parts unknown while people stewed in hostile lines waiting for a way out of purgatory.
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| The Spirit of Christmas - a lit tree fits my bay window perfectly |
It was a late Christmas Day flight anyway, and it was already a quarter 'til midnight when I unlocked the gate in the rain to take my Texas girl up the curved driveway to the new house. I paused as we rounded the curve so she could take in the scene of the house lit from down below.
After a moment or two of wondering why I'd paused, "You got a Christmas Tree for me!" she squealed in surprise. Yes. Yes I did. I knew she had not gotten a tree to decorate the house in Texas. It seem only proper to start Christmas in the 'Evergreen State' together next to a live Christmas tree. The first of a few more surprises.
I carried her heliotrope bag into the house, complete with two functional beds. I directed her to the tree, and she was again surprised to see several wrapped gifts beneath the boughs. 'Ooh, you know I didn't bring you anything for Christmas," she offered apologetically.
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| Welcome to the Pilchuck Christmas |
I corrected her with a kiss, "Not so. I got got what I most wanted for Christmas. I can wait to unwrap it."
I suggested she go first. She picked a festive box from the floor and opened it. We talked as she yawned. It was approaching 1 AM - 3 AM Texas Time. "What say we leave the rest of these for tomorrow. I'm kind of exhausted."
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| Sue's stocking, stuffed with Christmas goodies - and she can wear it too. |
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| Sue selects a surprise gift |
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| Photo of Cook Family barn that once stood on the property |
I agreed and we slid across the sparse room to find a nice bed in the next room with clean, fresh sheets for a long winter's nap.
I promised her a daylight tour of the place for Boxing Day. "But first, let's tuck you into bed and let you dream of sugar plums," I insisted.
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