Hard to believe that tomorrow is December.  25 days to Christmas, yeah, right, what kind of Christmas will there be this year?  We can barely drive anywhere, can’t call anyone, I can’t visit anyone except Tom & Norene, there’s no mail, and most have barely enough to eat.  Wonder if at some point I should make some cookies and go visit Bobby & Jane next door, twenty acres over.  I know they use wood heat and have a generator, but I’ve no idea how prepared they were for something like this.  I’ll have to think about it.

I’ve got gifts for everyone already, glad I shop early, and shop practical.  I have a new Carhart jumper and jacket for Jacob, in the next size up; his old jacket is getting tight on him, but he loves wearing it since it matches his daddy’s.  I got Jason a set of four new LED flash lights, and a knick-knack table for Angela that looks like a sunflower.  I bought that one last June, it’s just so her.  I wonder when I will be able to give them their gifts.  This saddens me.  I think the next time I’m in town at the offices, I will see if their road is clear enough for me to get down it, at least to see them.  I almost feel silly, I just saw them last week!  But as the days get shorter and the snow gets deeper, I feel isolated from my family.

I had a visitor this afternoon.  I heard a car pull into the driveway, and Tufts headed for under the bed, he just doesn’t like strangers.  It was a jeep; it was familiar and I knew it was local but I just couldn’t place it, until Vinnie got out.  What the hell?

I opened the sliding door and looked at him coming up the walk, he was carrying what looked like something heavy in a garbage bag.

“Can I talk to you for a minute, Deborah?” he said meekly.

Vinnie is a jerk, and arrogant, even obnoxious at times, but I was not afraid of him.  I was his deputy when he was supervisor eight years ago; I know he carries, he knows I do, too.  I opened the door for him to step in.

“Thank you.  Nice and warm in here,” he was making conversation and I didn’t like it.

“What is it you want, Vince?” I’d rather get right to the point with him.  He was making me nervous, not afraid, just antsy.  What Carolann had said about self-defense in close quarters started to flit thru my mind.

“Carolyn told me what you’ve done.. are doing,” his blue eyes magnified behind the thick lenses of his glasses were watery.  “For the town.  That the soup kitchen was your idea, and that it was you who gave the church the turkey so we all could have a Thanksgiving dinner.”

Oh, oh.  Where was this going?  Was he going to hit me up for some food?  This is exactly why I didn’t want her to tell anyone!

“So I wanted to thank you, and apologize for being such a jerk,” he said.  My world, will miracles never cease?  “And I want to give you this as a thank you.” He handed me the garbage bag.  Yep, it was heavy.

I took it and asked, “What is it?”

“It’s a hind-quarter.  I got a deer yesterday, a six pointer,” he grinned.  “I gave half to the church like you asked us to do.  I kept the other quarter for me and Jill.  I figured if you could share with all of us, I could share with you.”

“That’s very generous, Vince.  Thank you,” and I meant it.  I shifted the bag to my left hand, and held out my right.  He looked down at my extended hand, pulled off his glove, and shook my hand.

Maybe the town will make it after all.