Christmas was good this year. A little tiring, well, exhausting really, but fun. It seems as the kids get older, Christmas gets pretty unbelievably insane.
On Sunday my sister flew in from DC and Patti’s parents drove up from NY, both in before noon. Later in the afternoon, I drove friends of ours to the airport and picked up our friend Sandra who came in from LA to spend Christmas with us. Later that night I attended a wake (an elderly lady on my block passed away) and then came home where we got down to drinking, eating, more drinking and a long night of playing Mille Bornes.
Christmas Eve day was good. I was going to fly to NY for work but the Shuttle was on a holiday schedule so I would not have gotten there early enough. So I worked from home, went to the gym, and hung out in the morning. I then got some last minute food for the next day and a half and then took my kids, Dora and Sandra on my famous Boston driving tour. All visitors, if they are lucky and have the money, get to sit in our black mini-van with black tinted windows, and look out as I drive by famous sections of Boston. Since we live near Dorchester and South Boston, I start with some nice areas over the river, then to the JFK Library, South Boston and the L Street Bath House, Castle Island, this really great spot near Black Falcon to watch the planes land, then into the financial district. I also took them to Cambridge along the Charles River and then capped it out near Quincy Market and the new Kennedy greenway or whatever its called. Overall it was pretty nice.
Christmas Eve I had all intentions on going to church but never made it. We had a great pasta dinner Patti made then hung out, not doing much but keeping really busy.
Christmas morning looked like a box and Christmas wrapping store blew up. At one point when the carnage was all over, Sandra sat there and said “This is overwhelming”. Since we were having more people over for Christmas dinner, I started cleaning up and got the house into somewhat decent shape. All friends and family spoiled us and the kids again with fun and useful gifts. We have a great network of family and friends who make sure our holidays are filled with warmth, gifts and love.
Another couple with their two young kids came over, and my buddy Tom, for Christmas dinner. Patti made a great meal with enough food and dessert to feed our end of the street, and we all retired by the fire late in the afternoon. We ended up sitting at the dining room table talking until 1AM. I would bring up some of the topics or one liners, but said out of context it's not as funny. Just think of Chuck Norris and 40 Year Old Virgin, and you can get the picture.
The next day Sandra and Patti’s parents left and my sister’s boyfriend flew in from Virginia. They recently got engaged and this was the first time he was meeting anyone from my sister’s bizarre family. Good thing he started with me, at least he got to meet the normal one.
While Christmas was chaotic, it was filled with a lot of laughing and good friends. By the time the weekend came and everyone had left, we were ready to pack up the decorations, take the lights off the bushes and trees outside, and clean up. By the end of Sunday, the house was back into shape and we had caught up on most of our cleaning.
Pictures to be posted soon.