Memories

While my dad is never very far from my thoughts, he is especially close at Christmas. There are some annoying traits that we share and he has been front and center the last couple of days.

I remember Daddy stacking up six or seven Christmas albums on the old stereo and just letting them play. And play. And play. Absolutely drove my mother nuts! While the technology has changed, I just put on the Christmas music channel on DirecTv, the end result is the same. I've been playing the music this week while I try to decorate the house. My husband, not a fan.

Next thing, the Christmas lights. I had visions last night of my dad with the lights strung out all over the den trying to find the bulb that was out. Strands and strands of lights all over the room. My problem last night was that I hung all the lights on the tree FIRST - before I checked to see if they worked. Two of the six strings did. So I had to take them all down and unplug all the bad ones and start over. The bottom third of the tree is illuminated. Husband has on his to do list to go buy more lights.

The other thing I like to do, once all the lights are on the tree, is to sit in the dark and look at the lights and listen to the above-mentioned Christmas music. I can't tell you how many times I found Daddy in the chair in the living room doing just that. And I would join him. And I believe in my heart that he joins me now when I do it.

Funny how the simplest things can make the best memories. No big planned, constructed memories. Just the everyday stuff that sticks. Think about it.