Peace On Earth, For The Moment

Day 73 (Christmas): I rose earlier than usual, as is my custom on Christmas morning, to sit in a room lit only by the lights of the tree until dawn. For a while, Tip shared my lap, but then he became fascinated...or perhaps enraptured would be a better word...with the larger-than-lifesized Cardinal I use as a topper. I wondered if it was the first time he'd really noticed it, because I don't usually leave the tree lit without some other type of light in the room. For his intentness, I figured Chaos was soon to reign supreme.

Tip is ordinarily a good Boy. He never gets into untoward mischief, stealing receipts off the kitchen table aside, but I could see disaster in the making. I could not sidetrack him. He'd circle the tree, slinking low, to come back to that same spot to stare fixedly at something above. It was only when I sat down beneath the tree to open my gifts that I discovered the source of his passion. A big ol' fat winter fly had wakened from its torpor and was buzzing around amid the branches.

I am happy to say that peace has been restored. And Tip, hunter that he is, has had an enjoyable and crunchy Christmas breakfast.