Christmas is about to wind down.  It generally comes early and stays
late at the Manor.  The decorations will come down room by room over
the coming week and stowed in the basement until next November.  We
are looking forward to restoring order after several weeks of parties,
guests, and college students.  This does not diminish the satisfying
weeks of having Miranda home and seeing friends and family over the
holidays, but getting back to the routine will be somewhat of a
comfort.

I think the lack of snow is starting to puzzle many New Englanders.
Some of us don't want to even mention its abesence for fear it will
make an abundant appearance.  Joy and I went out in the yard on
Saturday to do some winter pruning.  I lopped a limb off our small
chestnut tree and it wept sap because the winter has been so mild.  I
had to get my pruning sealer out.  We also pruned the grape vines and
took a limb off of one of the apple trees.  Wintertime for SOME trees
is the prime pruning season.  Usually it is pretty cold out there when
you're supposed to do it, so I hope I haven't hurt anything.  It felt
good to do a little yard work though.

I told you last week about Miranda's painting on our barn wall.  She
is about half done with the 12-foot long, 20-inch high mural and we're
very pleased with how it is turning out.  Her final addition to the
wall before heading back to college is a small town center where a row
of rectangular-shaped buildings line the main street.  A large
building in the center is bounded on both sides by two shops.  We've
asked that the shops be named as follows: Miranda's Joys Tearoom,
Jessica's Roses Florist Boutique, Emily's Pearls Jewelry Shoppe, and
Andrew's Toy Store.  The big store in the middle will be Mom and Pop's
General Store.  Besides these things, she has a church, a house,
skaters, carolers, and even a one-horse open sleigh.  Too bad it will
remain half done until she gets her next chance in March to add to it.

Jessica and Emily (the teenagers) spent much of their weekend at a
quizzing event. I think the less said about the experience the better,
but I know that only whets most of your appetites. I suppose you'll
have to go hungry this once.

On another home front, my father held his first service in the small
Wereham United Methodist church.  I heard that it went very well for
the group that gathered.  Many years ago, my dad spent a night in the
Wereham jail.  This scandalous news made it into the local paper a
week or so before Dad started his position there.  (Actually, he wrote
the story up for the local paper, himself.)  The short of it is that
he was the victim of a college prank that left him in the middle of
nowhere (Wereham) in the middle of the night, and the police let him
spend the night before making his way back to Eastern Nazarene
College. As you can guess, it made a pretty good banner and a good way
to get some press for the tiny church.  I hear they also voted on
Dad's successor in Wollaston yesterday.  I'm sure someone has heard
how that went.

After we returned Miranda and Cheryl to ENC yesterday, we spent some
time visiting with Dr. Don and Elva Reed.  These are the people who
have graciously given us the use of their cabin in the woods of Maine.
We had left Emily's coat at their Cabin back in October and were just
now retriving it.  Mrs. Reed has been having health difficulties
recently and on top of it they are both dealing with the flu that is
running rampant in this area.  However, we were able to enjoy the
memories of good times and have a time of good fellowship.  I hope
they get restored soon.  They are special people.

Well, folks, take zinc, wash your hands, and keep distance from
sneazing, wheazing other folks. Stay away from that nasty flu bug
but not away from your friends.

Mark
     .-~~\                   Mark Metcalfe
    /     \ _                metcalfe@cadence.com
    ~x   .-~_)_	             (978) 446-6451
      ~x".-~   ~-.                            
  _   ( /         \   _      Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
  ||   T  o  o     Y  ||     270 Billerica Road, MS04
==:l   l   <       !  I;==   Chelmsford, MA 01824
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