A Basket Case for Christmas

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We all know by now that I'm an enemy of clutter.

And things that knock me out of routine.

And change.

Well, I have learned to relax...

...but just a little bit.

I could feel the breakdown coming.

A couple of weeks ago the hot tub quit.

We didn't fix it right away as we tried to diagnose the problem, first...take the logical way.

I got to sleep through that.

Then...the computer froze while I was writing reports one afternoon.

Not good.

We searched for a new computer as I massaged the old one through numerous startups and unplanned shut downs.

Then the presents started being wrapped.

Things laying around the house.

Outside of their usual places.

"Hold on," I kept telling myself. "Christmas is coming."

And then it happened.

During the middle of an important report...

...the computer went pffft.

Completely.

I did what we all do in a moment of crisis around here:

"KATHY!"

She was speaking calmly.

She might have even smiled.

The crap running around my head had nothing to do with candy canes or stockings.

"Just relax," Kathy tried. "We'll get around this. We can get it completely straightened out tomorrow."

The problem being that for guys like me and my son, Jake...

...tomorrow sucks!

Now!!!

But.

I think I survived the meltdown fairly well.

I even slept an hour or two.

Merry Christmas to All!!!!

(I'll get there).

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