Christmas morning didn't arrive until 11:44, a quarter before noon. That was when the two heeler sisters simultaneously decided their bladders had had enough, and if someone didn't get up soon, there were going to be accidents. So they assailed the wife with face licks from both sides, and a holiday catastrophy was averted.

As the wife let the heelers out, I heard clattering in the kitchen. Imagine my surprise as I stumbled in to find youngest son shoving skillets onto the stove.

Actually, that was no surprise. He cooks his own meals quite often these days, usually high on the protein side.

The surprise was when he asked me how many eggs I wanted. And then the same question to the wife.

Yes, youngest son cooked breakfast for the clan this morning. Scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. Everything perfectly done, him standing and slaving over the stove the entire time, herding anyone else out of the kitchen. He even cooked the bacon exactly the way his mother likes it, each strip carefully laid out straight, crisped from one end to the other.

And so, we had breakfast in bed. Our bed, with four full grown humans and three hungry heelers. They, of course, were also thrilled, as the bacon grease was mixed in with kibble and they each got a full, fat-rich meal in the middle of the day.

Breakfast in bed was followed by presents in bed, including several touching gifts from youngest son and wife's godson together. (And a rather risque card to me, from the local grocery no less, about Santa and some strippers.) The gifts included rawhide chews for the heelers, and it wasn't too long before the heeler Mom crashed asleep with her head on the wife's leg. Followed soon after by her fat-filled daughters.

Me, I was delighted to discover that I had bought the wife a jacket. And it was a perfect fit, too. (Which was a total surprise to one of us, but then I had mentioned she needed one when we were shopping in Capitol City. We just couldn't find what she wanted in that town. Santa apparently took on the chore for me.)

(And a side note here... kudos to Dave Letterman for his hospital visit in Iraq.)

So to those who celebrate, Merry Christmas! And to all the rest, may you share in the peace and joy of the season.