{"id":6863,"date":"2023-12-24T08:28:19","date_gmt":"2023-12-24T13:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/?p=6863"},"modified":"2023-12-24T09:32:45","modified_gmt":"2023-12-24T14:32:45","slug":"christmas-eve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/12\/24\/christmas-eve\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Eve"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>This is kind of a \u201cSunday Story\u201d, about Christmas, Covid, Dogs and the smell of pine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Covid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Covid seems like old news.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have our \u201cfree tests\u201d, but we haven\u2019t used them in so long, that we need to check the expiration date.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s dozens of masks, stashed in the top of the Grandfather clock, right behind the current Christmas tree.&nbsp;&nbsp;They definitely need to be dusted off before use. But I\u2019ve kept up with the shots, (I had to go to the CVS app on my phone to count how many):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Moderna 10\/25\/23, 12\/27\/22, 7\/19\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pfizer \u2013 9\/9\/21, 3\/10\/21, 2\/15\/21.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I still substitute at the school, and I don\u2019t want to bring Covid (or the flu) back home to Jenn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I know I had Covid in September of 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;That\u2019s because it was the most \u201cinconvenient\u201d time, right before I was supposed to have my shoulder surgically rebuilt.&nbsp;&nbsp;There was a week of a Covid \u201cdampening\u201d drug, testing, testing, testing, and worry about postponing the surgery.&nbsp;&nbsp;I didn\u2019t feel that bad, and finally my surgeon\u2019s office said the magic words \u2013 stop testing.&nbsp;&nbsp;They didn\u2019t want to know, and didn\u2019t want to upset their surgical schedule.&nbsp;&nbsp;But I tested negative anyway, two days before I went in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Long Covid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And then there was the \u201cstealth\u201d Covid, the one I had but never knew about.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was sometime&nbsp;in January or February of 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;Jenn and I both felt lousy, and both tested negative over and&nbsp;over again.&nbsp;&nbsp;But, sometime in March, I just stopped smelling \u2013 anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Long Covid is defined as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;\u201c\u2026(L)ong-term effects from their infection, known as Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC). Long COVID is broadly defined as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after acute COVID-19 infection(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/long-term-effects\/index.html\">CDC<\/a>).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote a whole essay on this way back in April of \u201922 (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/04\/11\/whats-missing\/\">What\u2019s Missing<\/a><\/em>).&nbsp;&nbsp;There are advantages to not smelling anything:&nbsp;&nbsp;picking up dog poop (we have five) is definitely one of them.&nbsp;&nbsp;But there are lots of things to miss:&nbsp;steak on the grill, black coffee before dawn, hickory smoke from the smoker (yep, I can open the smoker door, get \u201csmoked\u201d myself, and still not smell it).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The smell of fall leaves on the ground, or hot grass in the fields of summer, or the few moments before the rain starts in the spring; I miss them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Does our house smell like dogs?&nbsp;&nbsp;I\u2019m definitely not the right one to ask about that. And in the rush to get dogs fed and to school before 7am, did I manage to put deodorant on?&nbsp;&nbsp;That needs to be a \u201cconscious\u201d action, one that I specifically remember.&nbsp;&nbsp;After the fact, there\u2019s no way for me to tell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Things to Miss<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So it\u2019s been a year and a half without smell \u2013 almost.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s been some \u201cphantom\u201d wisps:  a hint of spilled gasoline when filling the mowers, Jenn\u2019s lit cigarette in the car (not when filling  mowers), a glorious moment when I opened a hot pizza box, and, just for a second, caught a whiff of pepperoni.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes I feel like the amputees who can still feel the toes of their missing leg: is my brain making it up, filling in blanks it knows are there?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it\u2019s happening more frequently.&nbsp;&nbsp;This morning I was making our first pot of coffee (we are on a three pot a day tear right now, there are dogs, not ours, lost everywhere \u2013 that\u2019s a Christmas thing).&nbsp;&nbsp;And&nbsp;&nbsp;I caught a hint of Starbuck\u2019s French Roast beans, before they hit the grinder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You know all of those craft beer aficionados, who can take a sip and tell you the hops to wheat ratio, and find the hint of orange peel or cinnamon or cranberry in a Christmas ale?&nbsp;&nbsp;So that\u2019s how my nose is right now, except all I get are the few \u201chints\u201d, never the full body flavor of the draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;I think it\u2019s coming back, slowly (it doesn\u2019t help that this Long Covid left me with chronic stuffy nose anyway).&nbsp;&nbsp;Either that or my brain has decided it\u2019s taking over, making up smells so I feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Merry Christmas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>All I want for Christmas \u2013 is a good whiff of our traditional beef tenderloin.\u00a0\u00a0And if I can detect the pine of the Christmas tree, so much the better.\u00a0\u00a0After all, it\u2019s been since Christmas 2021. Much as we don\u2019t think about \u2013 celebrating the holiday is about smelling it too.\u00a0\u00a0I\u2019ve never smelled \u201cChestnuts roasting on an open fire\u201d, but there\u2019s a smell in a song, right out in public.\u00a0\u00a0If my sense comes back, I guess I\u2019ll have to try that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Merry Christmas everyone \u2013 I know you expect a full legal exposition of the Supreme Court decision to dodge the Trump case, one more time.&nbsp;&nbsp;That will come soon enough.&nbsp;&nbsp;But for the next couple of days, enjoy Christmas, family, and friends; and all the \u201csmells\u201d that go with this season.&nbsp;&nbsp;And for Santa\u2019s sake \u2013 hold onto your dogs.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s far too many out already!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Sunday Story Series<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/01\/24\/riding-the-dog\/\">Riding the Dog<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&#8211; 1\/24\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/01\/31\/hiking-with-jack\/\">Hiking with Jack<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 1\/31\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/02\/07\/a-track-story\/\">A Track Story<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/7\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/02\/14\/ritual\/\">Ritual<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/14\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/02\/19\/voyageur\/\">Voyageur<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/19\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/02\/25\/a-dog-story\/\">A Dog Story<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/25\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/03\/07\/a-watkins-legend\/\">A Watkins Legend<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 3\/7\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/03\/10\/ghosts-at-gettysburg\/\">Ghosts at Gettysburg<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 3\/14\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/04\/04\/more-lessons-from-the-state\/\">Lessons from the State Meet<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 3\/28\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/04\/04\/more-lessons-from-the-state\/\">More Lessons from the State<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 4\/4\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/04\/11\/stories-from-the-road-1\/\">Stories from the Road<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 4\/11\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/05\/02\/a-bear-wants-you\/\">A Bear Wants You<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 5\/1\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/05\/09\/my-teachers\/\">My Teachers<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 5\/9\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/05\/23\/old-friends\/\">Old Friends&nbsp;<\/a>&nbsp;&#8211; 5\/23\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/06\/06\/the-gift\/\">The Gift<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 6\/6\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/06\/20\/echoes-of-mom\/\">Echoes of Mom<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 6\/20\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/07\/04\/stories-of-the-fourth\/\">Stories of the Fourth<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/3\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/07\/25\/running-memories\/\">Running Memories<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/25\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/07\/30\/lost-dog-of-eldora\/?fbclid=IwAR3QX-v-lZpcaWU8t7JCrvLq3TS5tPC3eYblWQlQ3URxwbdYx7HQX9SPJyk\">Lost Dog of Eldora<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/1\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/08\/08\/dogs-and-medals\/\">Dogs and Medals<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/8\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/09\/05\/the-new-guy\/\">The New Guy \u2013 9\/5\/21<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/09\/12\/stories-of-9-11\/\">Stories of 9-11<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/12\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/09\/26\/the-interview\/\">The Interview<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/26\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/09\/28\/night-moves\/\">Night Moves<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/3\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/10\/10\/funeral-for-a-friend\/\">Funeral for a Friend<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/11\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/10\/24\/national-security\/\">National Security<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/24\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/10\/31\/boots-on-the-trail\/\">Boots on the Trail<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/31\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/11\/15\/taking-care-of-mom-and-dad\/\">Taking Care of Mom and Dad<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 11\/14.\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/11\/21\/dogs-lost-and-found\/\">Dogs Found and Lost<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 11\/21\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/12\/12\/watching-brian\/\">Watching Brian<\/a>&nbsp;12\/12\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/12\/19\/story-from-shiloh\/\">Stories from Shiloh<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 12\/19\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2021\/12\/26\/team-trips\/\">Team Trips<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 12\/26\/21<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/01\/07\/uphill-both-ways\/\">Uphill, Both Ways&nbsp;<\/a>&nbsp;&#8211; 1\/9\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/01\/30\/old-trophies\/\">Old Trophies<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 1\/30\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/02\/07\/the-last-time\/\">The Last Time<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/7\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/02\/13\/olympic-miracles\/\">Olympic Miracles<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/13\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/02\/18\/mind-numbing\/\">Mind Numbing<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/20\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/04\/03\/track-weather\/\">Track Weather<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 4\/3\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/04\/11\/whats-missing\/\">What\u2019s Missing<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 4\/11\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/04\/17\/a-scouting-story\/\">A Scouting Story<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 4\/17\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/05\/08\/waterproof-paper\/\">Waterproof Paper<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 5\/8\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/05\/22\/origin-stories\/\">Origin Stories<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 5\/22\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/05\/29\/origin-stories-part-two\/\">Origin Stories \u2013 Part Two<\/a>&nbsp;5\/29\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/06\/05\/back-at-state\/\">Back at State<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 6\/5\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/06\/18\/in-the-country\/\">Out in the Country<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 6\/19\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/07\/03\/pataskala-downs\/\">Pataskala Downs<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/4\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/07\/24\/car-stories-i\/\">Car Stories I<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/24\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/07\/31\/car-stories-ii\/\">Car Stories II&nbsp;<\/a>&nbsp;&#8211; 7\/31\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/08\/07\/old-man-experience\/\">Old Man Experience<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/7\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/08\/14\/cross-country-camp\/\">Cross Country Camp<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/14\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/08\/21\/new-to-the-pack\/\">New to the Pack<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/21\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/08\/27\/car-stories-iii-the-bus\/\">Car Stories III \u2013 The Bus<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/28\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/09\/04\/a-day-in-the-life\/\">A Day in the Life<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/4\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2022\/09\/18\/stupid-human-tricks\/\">Stupid Human Tricks<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/18\/22<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/02\/26\/fair-or-foul\/\">Fair or Foul<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 2\/26\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/03\/12\/immigrant-story\/\">Immigrant Story<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 3\/12\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/05\/15\/busy-season\/\">Busy Season<\/a>&nbsp;&#8211; 5\/15\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/05\/28\/of-jeeps-and-bucks\/\">Of Jeeps and Bucks<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 5\/28\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/06\/11\/a-pole-vault-story\/\">A Pole Vault Story&nbsp;<\/a>&nbsp;-6\/11\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/06\/25\/end-of-an-era\/\">End of an Era<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 6\/25\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/07\/02\/paybacks-2\/\">Paybacks<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/2\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/07\/13\/https-dahlman-online-index-php-2023-07-13grayinginpataskala\/\">Graying in Pataskala \u2013<\/a>&nbsp;7\/17\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/07\/23\/being-a-goat\/\">Being a Goat<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 7\/23\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/08\/20\/toy-truck\/\">Toy Truck<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/20\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/08\/27\/medical-terms\/\">Medical Terms<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 8\/27\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/09\/03\/missing-margaritaville\/\">Missing Margaritaville<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/3\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/09\/10\/the-mcgowan\/\">The McGowan<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 9\/10\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/10\/22\/whos-watching\/\">Who\u2019s Watching<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/22\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/10\/29\/the-saturday-before\/\">The Saturday Before<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 10\/29\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/11\/26\/a-tale-of-turkey-and-dogs\/\">A Tale of Turkey, and Dogs<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 11\/26\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/12\/03\/brunos-story\/\">Bruno\u2019s Story<\/a>&nbsp;\u2013 12\/3\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/12\/10\/out-in-the-country\/\">Out in the Country<\/a> \u2013 12\/10\/23<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christmas Eve \u2013 12\/24\/23<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is kind of a \u201cSunday Story\u201d, about Christmas, Covid, Dogs and the smell of pine. Covid Covid seems like old news.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have our \u201cfree tests\u201d, but we haven\u2019t used them in so long, that we need to check the expiration date.&nbsp;&nbsp;There\u2019s dozens of masks, stashed in the top of the Grandfather clock, right behind &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/12\/24\/christmas-eve\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Christmas Eve&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Christmas Eve : Our America - Essays on Politics and American Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dahlman.online\/index.php\/2023\/12\/24\/christmas-eve\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christmas Eve : Our America - Essays on Politics and American Life\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This is kind of a \u201cSunday Story\u201d, about Christmas, Covid, Dogs and the smell of pine. 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