Merry Christmas Everyone

I saw some really huge stuffed bears in the store today. They were much bigger than me and I thought how much fun a little tot might have with such a bear. Probably a lot until it climbed on top and decided to jump on it and then fell and the tots Mom would be yelling and in the end the bear would be relegated to the far corner of the basement until "the tot was larger." Children today don't know how to play so they don't use their imagination. They shouldn't have toys that do anything for a long time, then they won't be so bored. When I was a little girl within 24 hours of receiving a new doll I took the head off. I had to know what was inside. My mother thought I was a horrid little girl for tearing up my toys so fast. She didn't understand my excavations in the back yard either or why I always brought a rock back from Rancho Santa Fe every time we went. They were granite with orange splotches on them. I'm positive no one ever said the word geology in my house.

This year I constructed a two story Victorian doll house from a wooden kit. Don helped me quite a bit in the early stages because I had the floors upside down. They forgot to put instructions inside and the pieces did not have part numbers, so I was on my own to figure out what went where and how. I think I have two pieces to attach and in 2006 the decorating can commence. This is my fifth miniature house I've constructed and perhaps my smallest. I build them because I need to think. So I sit down with the wood glue, start putting the pieces together and by the time I'm done whatever I needed to think about will be completed.

I hope everyone takes time to play with their kids and their new toys this Christmas. No one ever had more fun than I did playing with my son and his construction trucks and Lincoln logs. Of course for my daughter we had to dress up Barbie and I had to create lots of new wardrobes for her. Sewing for Barbie is really difficult. Her arms are the size of a pencil. My son gave me a tool box from Sears with all the necessary tools and a cordless drill. He was really thoughtful this year. We agreed that next week I'll mend some of his clothes and he'll put up the molding strips on my walls. Seems fair.

Ok, so you all need a treat, yes? Ok, here it is. Max Wyss wrote a good Christmas story so take some time and go read......Petra

Christmas Break
http://www.maxwyss.com/index_e.html

• Christmas Break