The Return of Nutmeg Jim

Nutmeg Jim has been a bit of a slacker this year. He has usually written a note or two by now, or at the very least comes with a note - or bearing gifts - the first time he shows up and this year we have had nothing. Nada, zip, zero, zilch (you get the idea).

In fact, Nutmeg Jim, himself, was MIA for a few days. I looked in all the usual places but he was just not anywhere that I could think to look.

I decided it was time to step up the search and prompt him into some communication since Austin has been a little more on the naughty than nice side so far this year.

Well, a note did show up but there was still no Nutmeg Jim to be found.

Upon further investigation (and a few threats that Santa already knew what had really happened to Nutmeg Jim), we found Nutmeg Jim stuffed under the back of the Christmas tree, face down. Now it is extremely difficult to get behind the tree, I might add, so someone must have gone to a lot of trouble to put him there. I know because I'm the one that had to fish him out.

We found out that he was placed there by Austin, who had the bright idea that if Nutmeg Jim couldn't see him, he couldn't report to Santa that Austin had been naughty. (And this, coming from a kid that doesn't believe that Nutmeg Jim is real in the first place.)

Anyway, peace was restored until Morgan read the note from Nutmeg Jim to the kids. It pretty much said that Santa had a couple of lumps of coal reserved for a few special children and that they'd better shape up in a couple areas.

We'll see if intimidation is the right tactic to use this year.

Only time will tell.