Santa Bus and a Chair for Christmas

 

Christmas is finding its way here even though I am slow at getting started on my holiday preparations.  It seems like each year there is a moment when I look at the calendar and feel a bit of a shock realizing just how soon Christmas will be upon us.  I know all too well how quickly even three weeks can speed by!

Today was Santa Bus Day for our neighborhood.  Our small town has a wonderful tradition of having Santa Claus travel each street in town to visit with the children.  Santa travels in a Christmas decorated bus and is led by a police car with the siren occasionally going to let the children know that he is almost to their house.  He gives the children small treats and they get their picture taken with him.  Usually, the kids go on the bus to see Santa but this year they have had to change that due to covid.  Santa steps off the bus and visits with the children.  I guess I am a child at heart because even though it has been many years since we’ve had little ones here, I still love to watch the Santa Bus come.  Actually, our two cats get excited about all the activity surrounding the bus coming and always run to a window to watch!

Zeus and Sophie watching the Santa Bus

Christmas came early for my husband Tom yesterday.  He has badly needed a new recliner as his old one was not working properly and was even potentially unsafe for him since he has had balance and walking problems.  Good recliners are fairly expensive and a new one was not in our budget just yet.  When I mentioned it to Chris (our son) and his wife Kristi they suggested that we all go in together to get him a chair for Christmas. They are both so sweet!  We luckily found a great sale on one the Monday after Thanksgiving and it was delivered yesterday.  Tom loves it and I feel better that this one is not going to pose a tripping risk for him as the old one did.

Tom and his new chair

We managed to get our Christmas tree up a few days ago but I still have to decorate it.  I hope to work on that this afternoon and evening.  Since we have cats, they always manage to find fun ways to enjoy the tree!  I didn’t get a picture of them in the tree this year yet but here are a few from previous years.

No, they have never knocked the tree over.  We attach it to a wide and heavy base that keeps it upright.  Once we get it decorated we do discourage them from climbing it but invariably we will catch them in it once in awhile!  

I hope everyone has a good week!

Cats in Windows

Sophie & Zeus

Our cats, Sophie and Zeus love to spend time looking out the windows and doors.  They each look out for different favorite things.  If they are in another part of the house and we call out "squirrels" they will each come running.  Of course they both love watching the birds and squirrels but Sophie in particular considers that her personal job.  Each morning, bright and early, she assumes her position at the back door.  She is usually perched on top of their cat tower watching out for birds and squirrels.  She takes her work seriously and will only leave a couple of times during the day until 5:00 PM when she considers herself off work and goes to another room for a nap.

Zeus

Zeus, on the other hand, prefers to watch trucks out the front window.  There is nothing he loves more than to watch the garbage truck come by each week.  He always watches intently as the men dump the garbage in the truck and drive away.  If Zeus is in a different room and we call out "Zeus, truck" he will come running to the front window.  Sophie could care less for things like trucks and will not come.

Zeus & Sophie watching the Santa Bus

There is one exception when Sophie does like to see a vehicle driving by the house.  In our small town they have a Santa Bus that drives all around each neighborhood on weekends in December.  The Santa Bus carries Santa and his Elves and stops to visit with children and give out small gifts.  Both Sophie and Zeus absolutely love the Santa Bus.  It arrives with a police escort and the sound of sleigh bells and when it stops, often in front of our house, a line of children quickly appear to see Santa.  Sophie and Zeus both love to watch this annual Christmas activity!  They even like it better than the Ice Cream Man and yes, when they hear his music they come running to the window.