Three Rescues

Facebook never lets Fio down. She's bringing an old manuscript (not the one you saw yesterday) up to date  and needs a replacement for a youthful Michael McConnoughey-type character so she asked her "friends" to bombard her with names of blondish male movie stars. And they did. Checking out pics on Google, she's narrowed her list down to three. Will let you know when she decides on the winner.
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Some other good news, if you're following Fio's telenovela. Gabriel put on a big perfomance and asked Daniela to be his novia (fiancee), and she now has a ring on her finger. This will be happy news for the Corseca family, which, with Tulio threatening them financially and both Abuela and Papa hopitalized for health problems, is in a jam right now.
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Husband let Sonia Dog out into the front yard while Fio was piling rocks into her little red wagon and, at the same time, trashing several loads of chainsawed cedar branches. Doggie trailed around after her for a while, then retired the porch to supervise. But when Fio, dripping with sweat, took off her heavy overshirt, Sonia sprang into action, trotted out into the yard, and whined at Fio to go back inside. OMG, since when did Fiorella's dog become her mother? 

Maritime

Fiorella showed Son's fiancee how to make a boat last night, a small paper boat, that is.

Husband and Fio were dining at Chili's and, as is her habit, Fiorella denuded her napkin-wrapped utensils of their three-inch binding strip, tore it in two, and folded each half-strip into a tiny boat.  What else does one do while waiting for one's dinner?  In slow-serving restaurants, Fiorella has been known to launch flotillas.

After being presented with the first boat, Son's fiancee, who was sitting across from Fio, watched the production of the second one intently and tried to make a boat of her own, but ran into trouble.  Fiorella promptly grabbed the strip off of Husband's utensils and instructed her step by step.

It will take a while for Fiancee to get the technique down, but Fiorella is thrilled that she is interested.  Fiorella's father was the one who taught her how to make the little boat and now his legacy of love will live on.  

Best Gift

On Christmas Eve, Son's fiancee attended church with us.  The next morning, she joined us around the tree that she and Son had decorated and we all opened our gifts in turn, with Son acting as master of ceremonies.  Then she helped with Christmas dinner, the table setting, and the clean up.

Son has a winner and we do too.

The Night Before Christmas Snippets

Fiorella woke up about 4:30 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep so she watched television for a while, then, at 5:00, took advantage of the siituation and stationed herself with a book near the front door, waiting for the sweep of headlights that would tell her the newspaper delivery man was racing down the driveway.  At 5:55, she dropped her book, ran to the door and yelled "Stop!"  Fio handed the delivery LADY the envelope, wished her merry Christmas, then headed back into the house.  Mission accomplished.  
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As you may have figured out, Fio overspoke when she glowed at you about how everything holiday-wise had been taken care of.  Since then, she's been out shopping for more gifts, wrapped and wrapped and wrapped, and finally taken care of the newspaper tip.  Just one more gift to buy (if it's available) and she can start glowing again.
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Fio and her family belong to a church but are not regular in attendance--except on Christmas Eve when they sometimes even manage to round up stray relatives to join them.  But this Christmas Eve will be special because Younger Son's fiancee will be accompanying them.  And this is the church she and Son will be married in.  Fio's heart is happy.

Pre-holiday Snippets

Fiorella has a tree.  Son finished constructing it for her after her hip gave out, and yesterday he and his fiancee decorated it with lights and ornaments.  Last night it was bright and twinkling.  Fiorella's heart is happy.
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When Fio was out shopping yesterday, the traffic was heavy, but polite and accommodating.  True holiday spirit.
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Fio has a problem--she can't get hold of the name and home address of the guy who speeds through her driveway every morning at 5:30 a.m. to deliver the newspaper so how can she give him his Christmas tip?  Set her alarm at 5:00 and lurk about on the front porch in her thick winter robe until his lights cut through the gloom, then hurl herself in front of his car with check and pen in hand?  Put up a trip wire that attaches to a mechanism that lowers an envelope containing a twenty-dollar bill in front of his windshield?   

Happiness

Not a single pain this morning when Fiorella got up--and she slept seven peaceful hours in bed without resource to the bath tub or the downstairs couch.  And Younger Son is engaged--and also got a raise at work.  And he and his fiancee are going to help with the Christmas tree and both will be with us for Christmas dinner.  And so will Daughter and her husband, as well as Fiorella's brother and his wife.  And so will Older Nephew.  Fiorella's cup runneth over.  Three days till Christmas and she'd bursting with happiness.

Oops--cross your fingers.