Lesson 567: The Keystone

Ok, Ok.

567 times I've sat down at this computer

to share some good news of the week.

And about 560 times I actually made my

self imposed,

Friday night deadline.

But Lord, help me.

I couldn't last night.

because I was just dead.

As in dead tired.

Eloise is alive and well

and back at blogging today.

The biggest reason I didn't make the upload last night

was Hazel the Hellhound.

She climbed into my lap and fell asleep.

I let my leg fall asleep 

before I ever shifted positions 

in fear of waking her.

There's something about a softly breathing puppy

in your lap,

while you sit and soak in a 

silent,

softly lit house

while everyone else is sleeping.

I took advantage of the quiet extra time

and read my favorite Christmas story

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

by Barbara Robinson.

It takes about an hour to read

start to finish.

If you grew up in the early 1970's 

you will love this story,

as much as the 70 year olds 

identify with Ralphie in A Christmas Story.

Imogene Herdman 

and her rough and tumble siblings

will worm her way into your heart,

and you'll want to come back to meet them again and again.

As you can tell from the photo above,

our tree is far from perfect.

We had to move the lights from the lower branches

because Hazel thought they tasted good.

Plus, she needs 

a dimly lit place to nap.

When Natalie find the perfect,

eye-level branch,

she hangs as many ornaments as she can on it,

leaving the sides and the back 

pretty much bare.

Sam helps, too,

by making sure HIS ornaments are always 

front and center.

Ellen called her brother out on it,

as she put in her two cents 

while plopped on the couch.

So Sam hung one of hers

in the perfect bare spot

on the back.

Mother Eloise got an early Christmas gift--

the best one of all, 

I think.

I'm headed to the North Pole 

for a rare, 

face to face interview

with the Man Who Makes it All Happen.

I've got the real key, people!

Background for my newer readers.

Several years ago I wrote a children's book

titled The Key.

After much urging from my loved ones,

I published it free,

chapter by chapter

on this blog

through the month of March.

You can check the archives from March 2014.

Since then,

The Key has continued to be read and enjoyed,

and Eloise has continued to receive keys

for her collection!

I penned another never-to-be-published

work of art last summer.

I'll get it cleaned up and ready for your eager eyes soon.

I've considered changing the title to

The Diamonds

just in case you want to keep sending me gifts.

Not to keep you waiting too long,

the 2019 presentation of 

The Keystone

by Eloise Hawking

will be coming to the blogosphere soon.

The Keystone,

is a children's comical/inspirational story,

not a sequel to The Key

(Eloise usually does not like sequels),

but will include some of your favorite characters--

Sam

Grandma

Grandpa

and a band of feral cats.

But, it will have to wait until

Eloise gets more of her holiday running around done.

So much to focus on

and so little time!

I don't want to miss any of it!

In case you missed the ESO dance this year

(Extending Social Opportunities for Natalie and her crew over aged 18),

pencil it in for next year.

That's Natalie and Cousin Hannah

dancing in the lower right corner.

Attending one of these ESO functions

as a spectator or a helper is simply life changing.

A special thanks to all of our local college students

who come in to help out.

This band of happy high school students

 was happy to have a few hours away from school

to examine the human body 

at the LECOM Anatomy lab.

The kids couldn't wait for an up close look--

while Mrs. Eloise sat on the stool by the door.....

It's another weekend of passionate basketball

and Christmasing in general.

It's already Saturday so 

I better get moving on things.

The Christmas cactus in full bloom

confirms that it's time.

If you have room in your heart for a special prayer this week,

please include my nephew Erik.

He is a non verbal young man with severe autism

and he has an abscessed tooth!

His surgery is set for Monday

and we are praying for is a smooth procedure

and quick relief from the pain he's been experiencing.

Eloise