Two

Christmas Day, 2006

Five o'clock AM, fresh coffee and a Christmas cigar. Went to church in Nevis yesterday late afternoon for a candlelight service. Back to the lake for ham,glazed carrots, beans and lefse.

Made a few holiday telephone calls last night, the most important of which was to Andy, our 24 year old son who serves in the Navy and is stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or GTMO as it's called. We have not seen him since August of 2005. Never in the previous 24 years did I ever imagine not seeing one of my sons for that period of time. Andy has never been a great communicator, either in writing or verbally, so we know precious little of what he does or what his life is like down there. I miss him a lot. Since enlisting in March of 2005, Andy has been successively in: Great Lakes, IL; San Antonio; Gulfport, MS (he arrived one week before Katrina); Fort Lewis, WA; GTMO.

Later this morning, will drive 100 miles south to take father-in-law out for Christmas dinner.