Christmas with the President

It's wa-a-a-ay below freezing here, but you can't keep Nor' Dakotans away from a Christmas party. This evening Susan and I attended a holiday social hosted by the university president and his wife. It was held at the Elk's Lodge and featured a buffet set up on several tables around the room: hot appetizers at this table, cold fruits and vegetables at that one, cheeses and smoked fish at this, desserts at that, etc. Upon entering the building, we visited with others in line, exchanging the requisite remarks about the weather and pleasantries about one another's Christmas plans. Then it was on to the cash bar for holiday spirits!

We didn't attend the same event last year because it conflicted with an elementary music program for one of our kids, but we went to it the first winter that we lived here (remember?). Tonight's social was different in a couple ways: first, we have a new president (remember?); and second, we know people now, so it was easy tonight to sit at a table and visit with whoever else sat there. We ended up staying quite a while, and Susan even got to take home the poinsettia plant that served as our table's centerpiece.

Then it was off into the cold, back to our younguns at home (thank you, Grandpa, for staying with them), and down in front of the crackling flames of the fireplace . . .