Another Xmas done

This year Christmas felt like an odd affair. The pandemic forcing decisions on gifts. Cash flow has been, unpredictable to say the least. I was laid off in April, with a new gig (luckily) the next month. Julie's job has come & gone multiple times as schools close in Ohio seemingly every other month. This also effected Josh's part-time job.

I lost count the times that things came in and out of stock on Amazon. Long delivery times as well as my reticence of actually going in shops didn't help.

Josh's big gift was a gaming desk from IKEA. What if there's something missing? How do we return if it doesn't work out? Can we get it delivered in time? We ended up getting and assembling in his room early. He's now 16, no longer chomping at the bit to open presents at 5am, so that suited him fine.

We Skyped my Mum and Sister in the UK, popping around Julie's parents to exchange gifts later. Drive through a blizzard, sit apart with masks on indoors, drive back again. It was great spending even a little time together, but still...odd.

The weather played a part in the oddness too. 50° one day, snow and 30° the next.

I've been working from home since March so there's no separation from the interior. Decorations went up, as did the tree, and it felt like they'd always been up.

Today they all came down. Packed away until 2021.

Here's hoping we can sit closer than 6 feet, not talk through cloth, and that everyone is still here and healthy.