Merry Christmas eve! I love this time of the year. The holidays always put me in a good mood. And the weather is cooperating to make it feel like it’s Christmas. It was very warm over the weekend but after all day rain on Monday the temperatures dropped and today I saw a burst of snowflakes at one point. It’s breezy and cold outside. Just in time for Christmas.

Over the weekend we exchanged gifts since Warren is in New Orleans with his family. He gave me a new coat, sunglasses, an Apple gift card, a Virginia Bird Guide, and a few other stocking stuffers in my stocking. I gave him a new duffle bag, baking pans, slippers, boot socks, and a few stocking stuffers. We had a very nice gift exchange.

Tomorrow I’ll be heading to the Charlottesville area to spend the day with two of my sisters and their families and my father. I’m taking my mother with me. We started this tradition last year and we’ll probably continue doing it as long as we can. Mom and I spend the night at my sisters so we don’t have to drive so far in one day. That makes the trip more enjoyable since we can spend more time with the family. It should be fun. I’m looking forward to it.

I been watching my favorite Christmas movies while I’ve been off from work. I’ve watched The Bishop’s Wife, Christmas In Connecticut, A Christmas Carol, The Shop Around The Corner, The Man Who Came To Dinner, and Meet Me In St. Louis. My favorite is probably a toss up between The Bishop’s Wife and Christmas In Connecticut.

Even though this is a Christmas post, I did just want to mention a few news items. I know everyone is posting about and reading about the Duck Dynasty controversy. I will only chime in and say that he has a right to speak as he wishes. This is not a “right to free speech” issue. The whole duck dynasty needs to understand that consequences come with with what you say. He’s an idiot with backward thinking. That’s all I’m going to say on the subject.

The other issue I’m so pleased about is what’s happening in Utah. U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby on Friday declared Utah’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional. Since then some 700 couples have been married. Of course the state lawyers are asking for a stay to holt the weddings. I think they are screwed and will not win this one and Utah will be the 18th state with marriage equality. On this topic in general, I think taking it to the courts is the best way to get marriage equality state by state and eventually the country.

Enough of all that. Have a wonderful Christmas!