Closer It Came....Inch....By....Inch....

Got your Holly and mistletoe up yet?
Family flying in with the normal chaos and fanfare?
Or just crawling under a rock until the dust settles?
Today is our family tradition of "Secret Santa".  Not a unique idea but Angi, fed up with the occasional lack of holiday appreciation from the kiddos, determined some years ago that each child would pull a name from a hat and spend their holiday cash on buying a present for someone else, rather then the usual self indulging splurge.  After work today I head home, shower and the whole brood heads out, en mass to K-mart!  So, fair warning to all employees there, if you have a weak constitution or lack of tolerance for children you may want to call in sick!  And anyone out driving in the Dunedin area may see a rather unique bicycle parade, sung to the chorus of "Stay in  line!"  and "Look out for traffic!"  and  "Are we there yet, my legs are tired!"
Oh it's gonna' be a peach of a time!
Yesterday was another blitz of a day!  Thanks to all for the patronage and the repairs!  Oddly enough, took in more then we sent out!  Seems everyone had a bike to donate, trade or sell.  Had to turn a few away but I never turn away the donations or trades!  Trust me, there is a brain behind these ruggedly handsome, chiseled features!  And Golly Bob Howdy did we get some SWEETIES!  A gorgeous ladies Schwinn 26" cruiser, a Mongoose 29"er MTB, seven assorted kids bikes, another hybrid style and one ladies cruiser.....in a pear tree! 
And speaking of blitz!  Don't Ever....EVER do the STUPID thing I did yesterday!  Whilst checking my email I made the fatal mistake of opening up what turned out to be a SPAM "Small Business Loan" add.  Curious, read the blurb about a low interest unsecured loan, thinking ahead for future cash flow, and answered a brief questionnaire.  A little voice in the back of my head urged me not to answer, but I did not heed it's warning.  When they stated I was approved for a loan and please enter phone number so one of their agents could contact me.....
I did.
Yes, the resounding chorus of "YOU IDIOT" may now ensue!
Within minuets, I'm talking.....minuets!  the phone began to ring.
and ring.
and.....ring!
By the time the day was over I had received 104 telemarketer calls, and only ONE of them spoke clear English!  The majority I could not even understand what the hell they were saying!  By about the fiftieth call I started to answer the phone "You are Telemarketer call number 56, please take me off your list" and so on, before they could even get a word out!
Once I left the shop I just shut the phone off.  When I awoke this morning and turned it on, there were 47 missed calls!
I feel like Victor Von Frankenstein "What have I done!? Oh dear God in Heaven! What...Have....I .....DONE?!"
As mentioned, managed to get out the sexy, pink ladies cruiser plus two more rides, but they were gone even before I could get a pic, so....sorry.  I do however have a plethora of goodies to work with, so after today's installment of Christmas memories, I'm gonna get at it!  See ya soon!
Christmas 2003.  At this point we had made it to Florida and were living in Dunedin.   There were just five kids but that was enough to be considered a prime candidate for a variety of charities.  Between the school and the church they had offered us help but as things were relatively stable and Angi had started shopping early, we respectfully declined.  Our next door neighbor was a professor at the University and was very fond of children,  Sadly, she and her husband were unable to have kids of their own, so she enjoyed occasionally doting and spoiling ours, within respectful reason.  She had approached Angela and inquired if it would be alright if she got the kids a few gifts.  Apparently a small group of her students and some alumni  chose a family to clandestinely bring gifts to on Christmas, and it would mean a lot to her if we would allow her to do that.  She was very happy when we acquiesced.  It was planned that on Christmas eve, after the kids went to bed, they would bring the gifts over.  When the evening arrived, and the little ones were all tucked up and asleep, Angi went next door to let our neighbor know it was Okay to come over.  She informed Angi that it would be another hour or so, as they were coming from the school and were having trouble arranging transportation.
I didn't realize that meant enough transportation!
An hour later a pick up truck showed up, then two, then three.  Several students jumped off and climbed out and began to quietly do the happy little elves bit.  When all was said and done, you literally could not walk into the living room, or sit on the couches or at the dining room table.  When Christmas morning came we were awoken with gleeful squeals and wailing.  The kids ran into our room and Kaleb clapped his hands and exclaimed "Santa went CRAZY!"  They spent the better part of the morning unwrapping their way to the tree and Christmas dinner was very late!
PS.  Was going to show a pic of the really sweet ladies cruiser, but while writing this blog, Uncle Chippie came in and bought it for the lovely Joanne.
Shhhh!  Don't tell!