My 20 Days of Chrstmas

We moved to Texas in December and our house was still being built so we stayed with the Weikerts, friends of my parents.  Did I mention there were six Hidalgos?  Oh, there were four Weikerts.  Oh yeah, and 2 dogs.  Plus, their house was 3 bedroom, 2 bath.  Now would probably be a god time to tell you daddy and Clyde were Air Force and this was prior to automatic deposit of payroll.  Their checks were mailed to them - somewhere.  So, there we were 10 hungry people.  My mom and Faye, being the frugal AF wives that they were, cleaned out pockets, the floor board of cars. the couch and chairs and any piggy banks that made noise when shaken and shopped foods that stretched a budget - hamburger meat and pinto beans.  Did I mention there were 10 people and 2 dogs in a 3/2 house?  Eating pinto beans?  

It was our first Christmas in Texas.  We were already scrimping to put food on the table and mom and dad wanted us to "do our letter to Santa".  Well, it was a lean Christmas, but there was something learned that we have kept with us.  My brother only wanted a b-b gun.  When he found it under the tree from "Santa" he was thrilled.  Then daddy took the gun from him and told him he had to read the instructions on how to use (there would be a test) before he could have the gun back.  He and Clyde went out back and played with it while my brother diligently read (he did not like reading or tests).  Our lesson:  Always read instructions before playing (using) with something new.  Yeah, yeah - right.