Saturday Morning Post

So, all chicks are in nests!
I have recovered my equanimity (somewhat).

After four days of fretting during their arrivals and a day of recovering, we've been enjoying some homey times. On some evenings Sara and Jeremy head out to shake it up with friends and Sara's "other family" of friend Amy's.

On Christmas Eve, S and J and I loaded up with Chinese food and gifts and headed over to Mom's. We settled into the dining room and had a grand old time. She seemed to really enjoy it and I know she was delighted that J-Face, (all lanky 6'1" of him) was there in the flesh with a lovely Chinese jacket for her from SF.

Christmas morning was great and of course I teared up over the kids gifts to me. Then downstairs to MacBarrons for dinner and another cozy time.

Yesterday we took the train into Boston and saw "Blue Man Group" which was a real hoot! Although we were going to meander back to the train, a friend of Sara's who happened to be in town picked us up and gave us the "scenic route" ride home so that we could see the Gardens lit up and ALL of Comm Ave draped in lights. Just delightful!

Today is our gathering at Locchi's and Cod pizza. There is also a Gino-sponsored Mario Kart Wii tournament scheduled. I may even sign up for this if my darn tendon holds up.

Jeremy flies tomorrow, boo-hoo, but having some time is, of course, better than none.

We never made it to my office and it is as if my whole work life didn't even exist for these past several days, which is remarkably unusual and refreshing.

I will post pics next time, as I hope others will. But I've just got to share my little nutcracker wonderland that I've set up for a couple of years now and have a silly number of the little (and big) wooden gentlemen.

The quiet here is just about to break and cooking will begin soon, so more to follow at another time.

Merry, Merry, Happy, Happy!

(PS. the whole Em transport does sound traumatic. What about those busses?)

Love,
K8

Em is home.

It was a long /slow/ drive both ways but 10 hours and some scary moments later, we arrived safely back at the house.

All I am saying is .. 99% of the drivers on the road yesterday were /awesome/. And if I hadn't had an extremely heavy load of "stuff" in the car on the way home, it would have been MUCH uglier.

A semi wanted our space at one point, but it didn't happen and poor Em did really well for being on the passenger/receiving side of that incident.

It was just a long exhausting drive both ways and all I can say is .. Glad to be home.

Still no tree, Brian has my car today. (That's a whole 'nother story ..)

My own mini-saga ...

The plans were .. Em has her final final on Friday, and the dorm closed on Sat noon. No problem, up early to get her Sat morning. Sunday we will go for the tree (it is Solstice, after all.. :>)

But wait ... Amherst canceled classes/finals for Fri. and her's is re-scheduled for Sat at 4:00 pm!

So, the dorms have to stay open as well. Meanwhile I have to figure out what snowflakes to dodge to get her in a timely manner and get safely home. Life is indeed a bit crazy.

But I still love life in New England.

And the holidays!

more...

Jeremy's first flight leg to Vegas, has no weathr concerns, but the leg fromVegas to the Bean has a warning which, if he followed up, could get him re-issued tickets from up to seven days.
He has been alerted by both myself and Sara and all plans are pending.
In my email, I said "hey, Sunday night, Monday, whatever. We're all concerned for your safety and comfort first. Wanting you here is important, but ....."
Anyway, the drama ensues...

The wonderful world of Holiday shopping and travel...

Most of you may know that both Sara and Jeremy are coming to Brockton for Christmas. This will be the first time in TEN years that both of my children will be with me for Christmas! I am pretty much "over-the-moon" about this.

But into what a wacko holiday season it is turning? (Get the silly grammar rule?)

I have been scurrying from location to location for a specific gift that happens to be one of THE hot items this year. I check stock on-line several times a day. I actually had an order placed and even confirmed and I still got an "Unable to fill your order" email.

I kinda "haunt" the local stores, both with phone calls and frequent visits and have continued to miss the boat on this particular item. Of course, on the day that I determined that I would NOT join the hoards stampeding the usual locations, I missed out on the meager supply that was eked out by one of our major retailers.

I haven't done this kind of "search and destroy" targeted shopping mission in... well... ever.

I know my Mom/Gamma did this for Cabbage patch dolls for my kids. I have heard of this happening for Elmo.
But, I am waaaay beyond trying to snatch a rare item to light up a child's eyes, uh, I want this for ME (well... and one other recipient).
Anyway, this kind of whining must be insufferable for some readers and I apologize, it would be to me as well, if it wasn't happening to me. (slap and chuckle).

So, onto the travel travails...

Sara should be circling Logan right now, but instead she is still in San Diego, waiting to possibly retrieve her luggage and then be picked up by her Dad, after spending ALL DAY in line, getting screened, getting planed and de-planed, getting directed and re-directed and listening to all those blaring anouncements, (some of which I heard over her phone) hoping that one will say,"Sara Sullivan, step this way, your champagne awaits and you will land at your Mom's door momentarily."

The new plan is maybe she will be here by tomorrow evening, between 9:00 and midnight.

Then we get to do this the day after that when Jeremy is slated to fly into Boston during our first significant snow storm here, which is expected to dump anywhere from 6" to 24", depending upon which news source you tune/log into.

I know that my children love me and I love them, but I don't want anyone, including myself to have to travel during holidays and especially back to this crucible of "lake effect snow", "Canadian express", and Perfect Storm that we like to call Boston.

I will be off the meds and Bloody Mary's by about Sunday 12/21.

I am experiencing a sort of physical "duality". Not just the empathy/sympathy of relating to one's own, but I feel like I am physically elsewhere as well as here. What's up with that?

See... 26 years later,... this proves what I always said about the fabled "maternal instinct". It is closely akin to insanity. (You may quote me.)

And we silly females actually rush toward it. !?!

So, thanks for bearing with me while I typed out my considered anxiety.

Next posting will be better, I swear.

Love,
K8