our burgundy and champagne colored astrovan slowly pulled into the driveway. my dad slowed to a crawl to avoid the dog that bounced along side our moving van, clearly, he was excited to meet new friends and didnt want to bother wanting for vehicle’s wheels start moving. a bit of my nervousness escaped me as i spotted two horses and suddenly felt a little more at ease. our family of four timidly made our way through the doorway of the family that graciously invited us into their homes, not knowing us from adam and yet willing to share their holidays and make us feel welcome. it was christmas day 1997. it was the day i met my husband for the first time.
christmastime always brings back fond memories, traditions that beg for keeping, new traditions to create, new memories to make, and remembering just how great of a Gift we’ve been giving and living lives thankful for it all. and as usual, with christmastime comes the continuation of the great hippo battle.
it’s christmas 2011. it’s sunday, a day in which i never post. however, it is christmas 2011…and it is a day for another skirmish in the great hippo battle.
dwell in possibility…
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Ah yes it was another year of great scheming and again…I think I had the upper hand. Planning began with a different approach knowing that my daughter would be on the defensive and have her alert Steed – Chumbley (aka – Garland) on duty. Lights were expected to be lit and ready to detect intruders. But my plan was simple – prior planning with a fantastic darling hippo all painted and made from wood. A bright LED headlight and battery operated MP3 player and speakers – just loud enough to penetrate glass but not alarm the neighbors. So at 0420 – I began my trek and arrived slightly before 0500 – snuck into the back yard with my tactical headlamp and carefully dug the hole, implanted the beastie, set-up the speakers – set repeat and hit the play button, I was gone in less than 15 seconds. Success verified at 0509 by the simple message “you suck”. Yes another volley of broadside assaults had occurred. And my daughter’s retaliation later that evening. Simple but annoying – several calls with a mysterious hippo singing, then the main assault force at my door – A fluffy grey beastie who rendered the wonderful sounds that eluded me during my childhood, Gayle Peevey’s 1958 Classic – “I want a Hippo for Christmas” Yes, one of the wonderful times of the year…Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s birth and the annual homage to the Gargantuan Vegetarian Grey Behemoth – The Hippopotamus . Love you Sweetpea – you too Andrew…