December 2015 Busier Still

December was busy---very, very busy!  It was crammed with meetings, preparations, two weeks out of town and a wild and wonderful Christmas with both sons, both daughters-in-law, three grandchildren and two dogs….really wonderful.

Those meetings:  Hilde had a stretch of three days with six long meetings, two with someone losing temper and acting childish (not Hilde), and pages and pages of notes.  Fortunately at one meeting she was able to get most of the required signatures for her nomination papers, but the frenzy was incredible.  During the same (first) week of December, Mark was in last minute, pre-trial mode, which means he is partially in some other dimension, planning and focusing on what can/should/or might happen in court.  This state always reminds Hilde of The Absent-Minded Professor.

Hilde made some cookies, finished a pine cone wreath for herself after making four for others and partially decorated the house for Christmas and then packed up for the trial in Algona Iowa.  That is a small town, limited in shopping and fairly isolated, getting there takes 6 hours on the road.  Mark and Hilde left right after church and arrived in foggy dark, grateful to have no further to go under those conditions.  Throughout the trial, the weather was ‘mild’ and no snow, so the extra difficulties of dragging things to court every day in snow did not occur---everyone involved was grateful!  These kind of trials mean a lot of folks there:  Mark, his partner Eric, assistant Sandy, company rep, local counsel, and then all the folks which are witnesses.  One night there were 14 for dinner, usually less.

Mark celebrated his birthday by selecting a jury, but Hilde managed to get him a little chocolate cake and he heard Rhi and Ro sing happy birthday to him in the evening…that brought a big smile to his face!  On the weekend in Iowa, Hilde and Mark walked (32 degrees and gray) around Smith Lake and then visited the POW museum…interesting stuff there, as Algona was the center for POW camps.  Kind of sobering when, in the displays, they saw a HENKEL as a captive and a BORMANN as a local killed in fighting.  Those same POWs carved a 60-piece, half-life size nativity scene, complete with a flock of sheep, camels and all the rest.  The scene is housed at the fairgrounds and was the neatest thing they found there. 

Hilde did learn a lot about a Hungarian freedom fighter for whom Kossuth County is named, so history lessons in a couple of ways.  Hilde also knit a sweater, hat and sewed ornaments during the trial, plus attended county board telephonically.  Mostly her job was to make sure Mark ate and rested, so he was in good shape at end of trial

After two weeks in trial, Mark and Hilde finally headed home.  Mark was pretty happy with the result, since the plaintiffs weren’t happy.  It was a very long ride home with both so tired, but they managed and gratefully hit their own bed.  

Then it was rush, rush, rush:  to get a tree, get groceries, get tree up, clean house, prep more food, and during it all, Mark was on the phone about after verdict details.

Then it was Christmas!  Having everyone home was wonderful and the hustle and bustle invigorating.  There was no real snow (in fact adults walked the girls in rain and fog on Wednesday!), but so many happy faces as Caleb crawls very rapidly, the girls dance and sing through the days and their parents got some time off with John and Evie to “be bros” and adults away, while Grandma and Grandpa babysat.  After church (what a blessing to have all the loved ones worship

together!) the kids’ excitement level and happiness made for a joyful night for everyone.

Grandma Hilde does regret giving the girls punch balls…almost as bad as a drum set for noise makers!  The girls rode their scooters in the basement and read new books…wonderful time.  There was even a little layer of snow to belatedly make it a white Christmas!

After everyone departed on Saturday, it seemed very, very quiet, but Mark and Hilde decided it was the perfect day to go see The Force Awakens, and they were right---great time to go and it was tantalizing and enjoyable.  The month and year ended quietly as Mark and Hilde stayed home, thereby enjoying the big snow after Christmas.  It was good to have a little quiet time to rest and reflect on the many blessings of 2015.