2011 November 26

Some of the shoppers

Me

S            Last night was fun.  I was Santa at Jolly Holiday Lights.  For those of you who don’t know what that is, the Iowa Make A Wish Foundation conducts an outdoor, drive through, exhibit of decorative lighting.  The various stations along the drive are sponsored by various businesses, clubs, etc.  This has been done annually at the Des Moines Water Works Park for quite a number of years now.  There is a small charge per car load to drive through.  At the end of the drive is a small shop where you can purchase small toys, cookies, and hot drinks.  And me, Santa.  For five bucks you can have a photo taken with me.  You can also bring your own camera or phone-camera and take all the pictures that you want for free.

            Of course the kids (and occasional adult) get to set on my knee and tell me what they want for Christmas.  I check to see if they have been good most of the year (nobody is good ALL year.)  And let them know, that if it is possible, I’ll get them what they ask for or at least a good surprise.

            Most kids ask for electronics, cars/trucks, dolls, or pets.  I had one little girl ask if I could bring her cat back.  I don’t know if the cat was missing or dead.  I told her that that was too hard even for Santa.  The best I could do would be to look for a new cat for her.

            I also had one middle age woman sit on my lap and tell me she wanted a house, a car and a new husband.  Her husband then sat on my lap and said he wanted a pick up truck.  (I don’t think he heard what she had asked for.)

            Then there was the two mentally challenged men that I’d guess were close to my age who sat on my lap while their care givers took their pictures.

            Most children were delighted to see me, one who ran the full length of the building and jumped up to hug me.  She also came back and gave me a kiss before she left.  She and the little girl with Down’s syndrome were my favorites of the night because they were so loving.

            Unfortunately there are some that are too shy or afraid to sit on Santa’s lap.  Right at the end of the night there was a girl around 7-9 years old who wasn’t just afraid; she was in full panic mode when Mom tried to sit her on my lap.  And her mother would not give up.  She pinned the little girl’s arms to her side and held her there while her picture was taken.  It makes me wonder what has happened in that child’s life that caused that much fear.  It also makes me wonder about the mother’s motives.  Clearly it was all about Mom and not about the girl.

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            This morning was laundry day.  I did the laundry while Ella was working at the Clubhouse.   She will work from eight to two this afternoon.  I will be leaving shortly to go into church.  The Worship Committee is to meet at noon to finish putting up Christmas decorations      .  Our Men’s Bible Study guys had helped bring stuff up from the church basement on Wednesday.  The also started putting up some of the window decorations.  I don’t think it should take too long to finish decorating.

            It has been raining off and on this morning and the wind is blowing at a pretty good clip.  They are saying the wind is going to pick up to gusts around 45 mph.  There is also a chance of snow.  Hard to believe that two days ago people were driving around town with their convertible tops down and lots of bikers were on the road.  Everyone was trying to make the best of what may be the last ‘good’ day until Spring.
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Just got back from decorating the church.  I left there at about 1:50 and it is not 4:15.  It is about a ten minute drive.  Unless you have a flat tire.  Fortunately I have roadside service.   So I called the mechanic from Ankeny Service came.  Neither of us could get the spare tire down from under the truck.  The solution was to jack up the truck, remove the wheel and take it to be replaced.  We took it to Firestone and were told that he would not be able to get to it until Tuesday. (This is Saturday)  We went about a block and a half down the street to the Goodyear store and bought the tire.  We came back and he installed the new tire.  And I finally got home.  Sean from Ankeny Service was an angel to do all that running when all he had been called to do was change a tire.