Jesus' birthday is near

My birthday about a month later

It is 64 years ago, December 22, 1955.  We have been out of school for the entire week AND we have next week off as well.  School has been in turmoil lately.  There is talk that Wood Lake School will close at the end of this school year.  I am in third grade and really do not understand all that is going on but I asked Dad and he said it was pretty certain that I would be going to Cayuga School next year.  That makes me sad.  I have a classmate this year and we have 12 students in school.  I do not understand WHY they need to close it.  Dad says that the school is too small and it costs too much to keep it open.  Our neighbor, Olaf Olson, is on the school board and I knew him and like him even though I have never talked to him.  He is an adult and I am kind of afraid to talk to adults much.  Anyway it looks like this will be the last year of walking to school.  IF Wood Lake closes a big yellow bus will come next fall and take us to a BIG school.  (It really happened and when I walked into my new classroom in the basement there were 23 kids staring at me and that was only 3rd and 4th grade!) I woke up this morning at 7:30 and tried to stay in bed for a while as the frost on the ceiling nails told me it was cold in our bedroom.  The smell of venison and pancakes finally prompted me to jump out of bed, get dressed and down stairs in almost record time.  As usual Mom was in the kitchen with the cast-iron cook stove heating the room and  doing its job of frying breakfast.  I silently thank God that this summer was a bit better with the crops which meant we did not have to eat those awful wheat berries that Mom wold soak and then cook last year.  For me, pancakes with chokecherry syrup is better than anything.  It take me a minute to think about the day.  Yes, it is Thursday and NO school.  It has been a fun week.  Dave and I have played outside in the snow, we have kept the cows in the barn fed and the water tank has NOT run over, we have played marbles with old empty shells and of course the card game Touring often went from morning to night.  What to do today.  I look out towards the barn and our tracks from the night before are not to be seen.  New snow so that pretty much tells me what Dave and I need to do today.  Sledding on the slope north of the outhouse down to the frozen creek.  As an 8 year old it is kind of a river to me!  "For sure" after milking the cows, separating the milk and then eating breakfast the sled will come out.  We even have one of those new things, a round plastic disc which we can slide down the hill on.  It seems kind of goofy but one can go faster on that then the old sled with runners.  Still I like the sled.  After eating Dave and I are ready to play.  Mom reminds us that the pail in the toilet upstairs is due for a cleaning. Oh my I hate that job but of course it is smart to take it out before it gets so full that one has to be VERY careful not to spill as you take it down the stairs!  It is my turn so up I go and then out the pail goes to the slope north of the out house.  I take it about 50 feet over from the hill as there is NO way one wants to end up in that at the bottom of the hill when you are sledding!  Finally, around 10, milking is done, the cows are fed, breakfast is finished, the pail is back in it's place and we are ready to play.  As Dave pulls the sled and I carry the disc we discuss what we want to do after sledding.  After all this is Christmas vacation and it is PLAY time.  We are a bit concerned as we have not purchased any presents for anyone and Dad has not said anything about going to town.  BUT I am hopeful it may happen this afternoon or tomorrow.  I think, and hope, that Dad has a few $$ to give us for presents.  If it does not happen today we will just play games and maybe Mom will draw some pictures on the blackboard and we can cover them with kernels of corn.  That is always fun.  We wish we had a puzzle to do but we THINK we will get one for Christmas and then put it together on New Years Eve.  I was so proud last year as I was able to stay up past midnight as we worked on the puzzle.  That was the first time and it made me kind of feel older!  Of course, almost bigger than the presents, is the fact that Ronald and Janet will be home soon.  They are still in Ellendale as they both work and said they could not come home before the 24th.  They are both in college and very smart.  Ronald works at the Ford dealer part time and Janet works at a drug store.  I know I want to be just like them when I grow up.  I am concerned as I THINK they both have special friends.  If they were to get married I wonder if they would come home as much!  One of my friends in school said his brother married and now he does not see him much.  I really like it when Janet and Ronald come home.  Ronald even said I need a rifle and I THINK he may bring me one some time.  Dad has never said anything about that and when he goes hunting pheasants I kind of function as his bird dog.  "For sure" I do not want to be a bird dog when I grow up!!!  I know Dad does not have money to buy Dave or me a gun but it sure would be fun to have one.  

As I kiss Mom and Dad goodnight and head up the stairs to the cold cold bedroom I think I am one lucky boy.  Great siblings, a mom who always has good food, a dad who works so we can live in the country and a warm house but a very cold bedroom.  It was a good day.  No school, fun sledding, Touring card games and yes those homemade pancakes with chokecherry syrup.  If only Christmas vacation could last a life time!!!