Merry Christmas
Today I need to wrap presents, stuff stockings, buy groceries, and prepare the Christmas dinner. All in addition to my normal caretaking responsibilities: feed the family, clean the house, take care of Susan.
Amazingly, I am not even mildly freaked out. I can do this. My new superpower — my most practical one, by a mile — is to take care of my family and manage the house. Today will be easy and fun, with plenty of time left over for watching both Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Christmas Story.
OK, that’s not precisely true. I am actually pretty freaked out about the present-wrapping part. See, as a teenager Susan worked at a Hallmark store, where she learned to wrap presents with a precision and perfection that has left more than one person unwilling to unwrap a gift, saying it would be destroying art. I, on the other hand, went to a store last night and bought a whole bunch of those “gift wrap bags,” where you put the present in the bag and then stuff some tissue paper in it above the present to obscure what it is. I assert that this allows us to recycle the gift wrap, and is therefore the environmentally responsible thing to do. Also, I’m much less likely to give myself a nasty paper cut.
Oh, and also I do not have any idea where the kids’ stockings are. So there’s some fairly serious garage rummaging in my immediate future.
Christmas has always been Susan’s favorite holiday. I’m going to do what I can to make this one really, really good for her.
And I hope yours is really, really good too.
PS: I’ll resume posting new stuff January 5. I might move some stuff over from my old MSN Spaces archive between now and then, so if you didn’t read my blog when I first started, you can pretend I’m posting new stuff. Although that would be kind of weird of you.
PPS: Or I might not do anything at all between now and then. Hard to say, to tell the truth.
PPPS: Regardless, have a great new year, too.
Comment by Kyddryn | 12.24.2008 | 9:11 am
The happiest of Christmases to you and yours, sir.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Comment by Keith | 12.24.2008 | 9:13 am
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Susan, the kids, and everyone else out there.
Comment by Sprite's Keeper | 12.24.2008 | 9:14 am
Marry Christmas, Eldon.
WIN Susan
Comment by Sprite's Keeper | 12.24.2008 | 9:14 am
I meant “merry”.
Oops. Too much eggnog this morning.
Comment by Bob | 12.24.2008 | 9:20 am
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Comment by Sylvie | 12.24.2008 | 9:21 am
Happy Christmas!
WIN
Comment by Wes | 12.24.2008 | 9:29 am
Fatty Family,
Our family will be thinking of yours this Christmas. Enjoy every minute of it. Hope you find the stockings.
WIN
Comment by Veteran Sculler | 12.24.2008 | 9:31 am
My FC t-shirt arrived this morning. I’m old enough that it still seems like black magic when I click a few keys in the UK, and an early Christmas present arrives from the USA.
Now my dilemma is; do I change my Christmas Day outfit, or do I unveil the pink and grey on Boxing Day ?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all (especially Fatty & Family)
WIN Susan
THIN Elden
Comment by Wes | 12.24.2008 | 9:41 am
Merry Christmas and my blessings on you and your family, Fatty!
Comment by tobeisotbex | 12.24.2008 | 9:51 am
a wrapping work around that looks ok yet lets everyone know you are not good at wrapping gifts. Buy Aluminium Foil. And wrap the gift in that. It is shinny. The lights shine off it. And you can write on it with a Sharpie. And if people are careful the can use it to Rest the Roast the next time they cook one!
Comment by Victoria | 12.24.2008 | 9:51 am
Merry Christmas!
Comment by Carl | 12.24.2008 | 10:06 am
Fatty – We’re praying here in Ohio that your family has a very special Christmas. God bless you guys. Merry Christmas to all our fellow readers and for those that haven’t signed up yet for Team Fat Cyclist – what are ya waiting for?
Comment by montanapat | 12.24.2008 | 10:16 am
Merry Festivus everyone! Fatty, thanks for letting us all into your world, may this holiday be truely wonderful for you and your family.
WIN Susan!
Comment by jdott | 12.24.2008 | 10:21 am
I hope Santa brings you guys the best present ever!
Comment by Brian | 12.24.2008 | 10:22 am
Do what you gotta do Fatty. Wishing the whole Nelson clan a very Merry Christmas. Catch you all next year.
Win. Just Win.
ps – gift bags rule!!
Comment by bikemike | 12.24.2008 | 10:23 am
careful with those Bumpus hounds.
that was a real family and they actually live here (or did) in vero beach, fla. they don’t even remotely like the way they were portrayed in Christmas Story.
fame is indeed fickle.
Merry Christmas Elden. i’ve said it to many people before, the highlight of the Interbike show for me this year (and to be honest,since i’ve been going) was meeting you and Kenny.
i wish you and your family all the best and God Bless your wonderful wife.
Comment by Ed T | 12.24.2008 | 10:24 am
Fatty,
I have the greatest wife in the world. Got home yesterday and my Christmas present was a donation to your Livestrong fund!!! So AWESOME of her!! Keep looking up….Win Susan!
Comment by mikeonhisbike | 12.24.2008 | 10:27 am
I hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas. Enjoy the time you spend with your family. Thanks for sharing your blog with us this year.
Mike
http://www.mikeonhisbike.blogspot.com
Comment by XCTiger | 12.24.2008 | 10:29 am
A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Nelson Family. Please know that you remain in the thoughts and prayers of those of us out here in the internet neighborhood. May all of us remember just how lucky and blessed we are. Love and Peace to everyone.
Comment by Trapperdan | 12.24.2008 | 10:29 am
Merry Christmas Elden, Susan, the kids and all FatCyclist.com readers.
Take a break Elden. You deserve it. We’ll get by without your blog for a few days.
Good luck finding the stockings. I need to get home and get into the eggnog.
TrapperDan
Jax,FL
Comment by Uphill Battle | 12.24.2008 | 10:32 am
Elden, Wishing you and your family the blessings of the season, love and grace, faith and courage.
God bless us, everyone!
Comment by Kathleen | 12.24.2008 | 10:50 am
Merry Christmas to all my Fat Cyclist friends!
KanyonKris shared that awesome Holden Christmas light display you folks get to visit there in Utah.
For the rest of us go to http://www.holdman.com/christmas/ for some seriously over the top holiday spirit.
Big hugs for Susan and the kids…ok Elden, you can have one too.
Comment by Brandy | 12.24.2008 | 10:51 am
Merry Christmas Fatty & Family!!
Comment by JDogg | 12.24.2008 | 10:53 am
Merry Christmas to Susan, the kids and to you. And thank you for sharing so much with us all.
Here’s to a New Year and new strength in the fight.
Win Susan!
Comment by Charisa | 12.24.2008 | 10:59 am
Merry Christmas!!
Comment by Woody | 12.24.2008 | 11:06 am
As much as we love reading your posts, I say don’t worry about the blog. Spend every spare moment focused on your family. Your devotion to them is one of the reasons we love you so much.
May your Christmas be filled with love and peace!
Comment by MonsieurM | 12.24.2008 | 11:30 am
Merry Christmas and happy thoughts to your family. Take care!
Comment by chtrich | 12.24.2008 | 11:32 am
Merry Christmas everyone!
Comment by regina | 12.24.2008 | 12:09 pm
Merry Christmas to Everyone here in this great neighborbloghood. Merry Christmas especially to you Elden and to your Family.
“God bless us every one!” said Tiny Tim, the last of all.
WIN SUSAN!!!
Comment by leroy | 12.24.2008 | 12:10 pm
Happy Holidays to best Nelsons since Ozzie and Harriet!
Comment by harald | 12.24.2008 | 12:31 pm
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Comment by Tom in Dublin | 12.24.2008 | 12:33 pm
Happy Christmas Fatty!
Comment by Boz | 12.24.2008 | 12:49 pm
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Festivus, Quanza, and all the other things celebrated this time of year to one and all, and Win Susan.
Comment by GenghisKhan | 12.24.2008 | 1:17 pm
Gift bags are good–they’ll be saving me a ton of time today/tonight!
As to holday grettings, I share the sentiments of the the wise Boz and add peace, health and happiness wishes to all for the new year (and the rest of this one, too!).
Comment by Steve | 12.24.2008 | 1:38 pm
Merry Christmas to you and your family Fatty.
Comment by miss & stewOZ | 12.24.2008 | 1:46 pm
It’s ticked over to 25 December 2008 in Australia… and we just wanted to wish the fat cyclist (the only and only), his beautiful Susan, ‘mom’ and family a very merry Christmas.
Thank you for always reminding us to take a moment to look around and be thankful for what we have.
miss & stewOZ
Comment by flossy | 12.24.2008 | 1:56 pm
Merry Christmas
Comment by Sean | 12.24.2008 | 2:05 pm
Elden
Thanks for all your giving with your great blog!
Merry Christmas and Win Susan!
Sean
Comment by kentucky joe | 12.24.2008 | 2:08 pm
Merry Christmas!
Comment by Don | 12.24.2008 | 2:25 pm
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Elden, Susan kids and the entire Fat Cyclist “family” (both blood line and “extended”)
Yeah… I’m out unless there is a provision for meeting your goal weight. The most I could stand to lose is fifteen pounds, so if it goes through the end of July that’s thirty weeks and that makes a half pound a week. I’d like to think that I could do a LOT better than a half pound per week. Oh well.
Comment by Hilslug | 12.24.2008 | 2:25 pm
Merry Christmas Fatty and family! I am sure it is going to fun, memorable and fattening.
I have always said if I live a really sinful life, I will spend eternity wrapping gifts. That’s why years ago, I bought a bunch of cheap Christmas themed fabric. Cut it, fold it so the selvages meet at the top (no edges to finish, make two sets of straight stitches (I DO NOT SEW WELL) and POOF! A resuable gift bag. They can also hold small children.
Comment by Peter | 12.24.2008 | 3:51 pm
From my family to yours, Merry Christmas and a happy and blessed New Year!
Game on Fatty! I’m a true Clydesdale and am more than ready to race you to our unFatty goals. Cya in ‘09.
Win Susan! Lose Fatty (the weight that is)!
Joyeux Noel everyone else!!
Comment by tim | 12.24.2008 | 3:56 pm
happy christmas to all
Comment by justrun | 12.24.2008 | 4:49 pm
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Fatty. You’re in our thoughts today and always.
Lesley
Comment by El Animal | 12.24.2008 | 6:02 pm
I’ve been reading your blog from the beggining so you are excused to post anything until january.
Everybody have a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Bluenoser | 12.24.2008 | 6:51 pm
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone on the 50kLoop in Nova Scotia, to you Susan and the family.
-B
Comment by Hamish A | 12.24.2008 | 6:58 pm
A very Merry Christmas to You & your wonderful Family Elden. Have an absolutely fantastic Holiday together and we’ll look forward to hearing about it all with your own unique slant on things in 2009.
And a very Happy Christmas / Chanukah / Holiday period to everyone in the FC Army! Here’s hoping you all get to spend it with those that mean the most to you and it brings you happy, content & a few pounds heavier to the New Year.
See you all next year!
WIN!!!
Comment by Jenni Laurita | 12.24.2008 | 7:47 pm
Merry Christmas everyone!
I also got donations to my LiveStrong page- best gifts ever!!
Comment by Wheels | 12.24.2008 | 8:08 pm
Merry Christmas, Nelsons! Lots of love is being sent your way this season and throughout the year.
Comment by HobbleCreek Possee | 12.24.2008 | 9:33 pm
merry christmas fatty and fam. best wishes for the new year.
Comment by Fat Cathy | 12.24.2008 | 11:28 pm
Merry Christmas! I hope you and yours have a fabulous one!
Comment by DOLPH | 12.25.2008 | 12:34 am
All the best for Christmas and the new year. Your good humor in the face of adversity is a lesson to us all. I have injured a rib laughing at your writing (in a good way).
merry Christmas and stay phat
Comment by Tiny Tim | 12.25.2008 | 2:24 am
God Bless Us, Every One!
Merry Christmas to all out there!
WIN SUSAN!
Comment by Julie | 12.25.2008 | 8:05 am
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Comment by judi | 12.25.2008 | 8:28 am
may you and you family have a safe and peaceful holiday. merry xmas….
Comment by Jake | 12.25.2008 | 9:18 am
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Comment by sechildress | 12.25.2008 | 9:39 am
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Eldon. May the New Year bring you nothing but the best.
WIN SUSAN!
Comment by Alex | 12.25.2008 | 2:16 pm
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
Comment by Beth | 12.25.2008 | 2:17 pm
Elden, my best to you, Susan and the kids. I hope this Christmas is very special for you all. I’m sure Susan will love all of your efforts!
Comment by Tim | 12.25.2008 | 3:24 pm
We wish a very merry Christmas to the Fatty family.
Comment by Tony P | 12.25.2008 | 4:22 pm
Merry Christmas to you and your family Elden. Your efforts on your families behalf will make this your best Christmas yet!
Comment by HP | 12.25.2008 | 8:08 pm
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
WIN
Comment by Fred | 12.26.2008 | 11:55 am
Merry Christmas Eldon to you and your beautiful family. I have been truly inspired by your story. I used some of my Christmas moulah to by the last pink FatCyclist jersey. I will wear it with pride and honor. I also plan to join team Fatty and ride the Livestrong Challenge in Austin this year. I know how devastating cancer can be. Both my mother and stepmother died from it. Both of my sisters are breast cancer survivors. It can and will be beat with research and $$.
Keep up the crusade. You are making a huge difference!!
Fred
El Paso
Comment by Nancy | 12.26.2008 | 12:01 pm
Now that Christmas is over, it’s time for Thank yous — Thank you, for your Big, Big heart and wonderful spirit and thank you for the Challenge and the Team (it gives a wonderful, meaningful focus to my year — or at least the first 8 months!)
Here’s wishing you and yours and everybody out there strength and peace for the New Year.
Comment by Saso | 12.26.2008 | 2:43 pm
Have a great 2009.
Comment by Jennifer | 12.26.2008 | 9:35 pm
My wife and son and I wish you Happy 5th night of Hanukkah, dear Fatty and family!
Comment by Elise | 12.27.2008 | 11:29 am
Fatty and family,
God bless you all- have a wonderful holiday. Please know that you’re in our thoughts and in our prayers.
Comment by Di | 12.27.2008 | 4:16 pm
Merry Christmas! :-D
Comment by Carly | 12.27.2008 | 4:49 pm
Hey Fatty!
Hope you all had a great Christmas!
I was the proud recipient of an AWESOME fatcyclist fighting for susan jersey from my very observant husband. I love it and will wear it with pride-
keep up the great fundraising
Carly :)
Comment by Beast Mom | 12.27.2008 | 9:58 pm
Hey!
Hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas. I hope it all worked out like you wanted it. I hope you didn’t get a papercut on the tissue paper. Yes, I have actually done that.
:) bm
Comment by SurlyCommuter | 12.29.2008 | 10:54 am
Happy Holidays to one and all
Comment by Kt | 12.29.2008 | 1:15 pm
Good Yule, Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, etc etc. Whatever light-returning holiday you celebrate during the Dark Months, may it be joyful.
:) Oh, and happy thin new year!!
Comment by Mair | 12.29.2008 | 3:50 pm
look what I found in town
http://www.maircrosoft.com/tmp/Lincoln-Dec-2008/tn/pict0432.med.jpg
Comment by Clydesteve | 12.30.2008 | 5:57 pm
Elden, Susan and family – I hope your Christmas was blessed and Merry. May you have a wonderful New Year, as well.
My parents received a great Christmas gift – Over $3000 were donated (on my Livestrong Challenge page, link above) in their honor.
Which keeps Team Fatty, Seattle in the lead! Yea!
Trackback by Adderall. | 09.27.2010 | 4:01 pm
Adderall medication….
Adderall side effects. Adderall….
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