Piper is sitting in the middle of my desk alternately licking the moisture off the window and licking my forehead. Then she nuzzles my nose with hers and I totally cave and reach for the treats. There's nothing complicated here, just simple love.

Now here we go into Christmas again where the ability to put on a happy face bumps into the hunker down and lay low ho ho and as my wise grandfather used to say My do-lapper-dinker ain't swinging on it's rocking ball!

That phrase evolved centuries ago right up the road from my present location by my ancestors so I reclaim it now and pass it on to my grandchildren, wherever they are.