The Birthday Present

Riordin with the Polar Express

The first present of my birthday was delivered yesterday amid the chaos of moving Patrick and Tina into their new house. Well, OK technically it wasn't the first present of my birthday, but it was one of those "take me back to my childhood and to shut the world out and play with it all day" presents. 

I have wanted a Polar Express train to circle under our Christmas Tree for many years. I used to have a huge train collection when I was much younger. The Polar Express is special because I have been reading the story to the family on Christmas Eve for many years--like decades.

It seems that Patrick and Tina remembered that I almost bought a Polar Express train last year during the Christmas Season when they are about $300. Through the magic of eBay and Craigslist, they found it during the off season presented it to me yesterday as a  birthday gift. 
Wow!

And it works, too!

The hardest part is going to be taking it apart--maybe I won't. Maybe I'll just put is in the office until Christmas!

At least for a while.