<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/zojJa9v.png)<br/> <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><div align="center"><strong> <span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Steffy – CC</span></strong><br/>____<br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>NKA <em>Christmas <br/>Caroling <br/>(CC)</em></strong></span></div></div><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 11pt;">A usually ominous expression is ‘locked and loaded’, but the expression does seem apropos of our Christmas visit at the Steel Horse.<br/><br/>Yes, Santa’s presents are locked and loaded--it’s all set for delivery, no changes now.  The good girls get presents.  And, of course, there’s the evidence of Courtney’s dress.  She’s been designated a fave even.<br/><br/>So it occurs to me that this is a very dangerous time.  Looking at Courtney, there’s been all this pressure to be ‘good’ leading up to the famed delivery of present.  That pressure is gone.  It’s not even the New Year.<br/><br/>Clearly, a danger zone.  She might think there is no consequence to bad girl behavior.  Might?  Probably, yes.  Well, most likely yes.<br/><br/>I reach for my purse, shuffling through it.  I say to Max, and to Courtney, “I got a present from my very good friend Clarissa.  Pepper spray.  It’s here somewhere.” <br/><br/>There may be one or two problems with this bluff.  I don’t know a Clarissa, so I’ve never mentioned her before.  And, depending on the actual location of the Steel Horse (or if English laws are applied), the spray which I claim to have may be illegal.<br/><br/>While this spray statement is a fib, it also is in the limbo moments of the tail end of the year.  Whew!<br/></span>