The Polar Express

I recently took a ride to Birmingham, AL and then headed South a couple of miles.  This happens to be the closest connecting train station to the North Pole.  The ride from there to the North Pole is relatively short for the vast distance covered and we had an elf reading and singing to us so the time really passed quickly.  Anyway, check out some digital stills from the trip below.

This is not my first encounter with Santa in my life, but this is the first encounter between the 2 of use were we both did not coming away from the meeting rethinking our thoughts on his role in Christmas.  Remember this previous encounter?

Here I am waiting to board the train with Lala and Grand daddy.  Got my ticket ready to go.

Mama came along for the ride too.  Believe it or not she has never been to the North Pole

and you know my main man Dada made the trip.  He has been to the North Pole before but never by train, only by sleigh.

Here we all are (including Lamby) getting ready to start heading down the tracks.

Ok, we hear that Santa is near and we are both a little apprehensive.  Will he remember me, am I on the right list, did he see me throw Dada's keys in the trash back in April?  Is there a statute of limitations for being naughty or nice?

Notice I am in my Christmas PJs.  We are all invited to wear them but apparently I am the only one who adhered to the request.

Ok, here he comes, with his wife and  a couple of his elf's.

Here we are.  Miss Claus is very nice, smelled good and she even knew my name.

Here we all are.  Hope everyone else gets a chance to see Santa this holiday.

Frasier

Lets just get right to it.  It is Christmas time so we went and bought the best tree in the quad state area.  We did some research and this tree is 38 years old and comes from Orville Redenbacher's private tree nursery in upstate New York.  It came from the North East corner of the property where the acidity in soil is 2.3%.  The perfect level for growing Frasier furs.  Orville himself planted the seed for this tree and cared for it until his hip replacment surgery in 1989.  Then the current greens keeper for Augusta National golf course was its caretaker until it was sold to Home Depot in early Novemeber of this year for $39.97.



Here we are with Orville's finest.  I know the tree looks...well we all look a little rough around the edges but with a little tinsel and some shiny things we clean up pretty nice.

Here is a new edition to the Mason tree this year.  We only had 4 Elvis themed ornamements until now.  I hope that everyone has a pair of Elvis Blue Swede shoes hanging from their tree.   If not on your tree then at least in your closet, please.

Here I am helping with the tree.  By helping I mean standing back and not breaking any ornaments or decorations.

Also, a bit of sad news this holiday season.  One of my wise men lost his right hand in an unfortunate accident involving a certain dog, some teeth and a clothes pin.  Luckily he held on to his Frankincense to bring to baby Jesus.

Remember Scout.  He is back this year and is again watching over me with his sort of eerie smile.  He is good at keeping a straight face.  When I asked him if he knows Santa he just sat there perfectly still and kept that same grin.

Here is what the tree turned out like.  It looks a bit like Christmas awesomeness.  Merry Christmas everyone.