The Gum Tree for 2004 December 6

Louise and I are excited to get these next two weeks done. Then we will be in the Christmas spirit. We also went to a christmas party for the Utah Valley Chapter of the NFB (natl. Fed. of the Blind). We had a good time seeing old friends and people that we know. Also, isn't it interesting that people who contribute the least take the biggest advantage of free stuff. There were people there who I had never even met before, and I have been to most of the Chapter meetings. There was one lady who RSVP'd 16 people from her extended family!!! Oh well, at least they were able to hear some good information about how to become more independant as a Blind person and enjoy good food and company at the same time. Oh, Pardon me, I shouldn't be so much of a Scrooge, especially during Christmas parties. . . It was a nice event despite my small cynicism. In all seriousness, I am going to really enjoy Christmas this year. It will be a good time to be with some family. I also called some friends from Nicaragua yesterday to wish them Merry Christmas. It was nice to hear from them. They seem so far away in a sense, but after a minute it seemed like it was not so long ago that I was there with them. They didn't know that America was at war or anything like that, and they live out their peaceful simple existance as if nothing had really changed. I always thought that the Nica's lifestyle was like that of a Hobbit.