Christmas Spirit Fix

I can’t seem to shake the feeling of impending separation with my daughter and Wing Man’s California move.  It feels like a pall descending over my favorite time of year – the Christmas season.  I know it’s completely unreasonable because this is the right thing for them and I’m excited for them but still it lingers.  I know I did this to my own mother by setting out for the various far flung locations the Army in its infinite wisdom decided I was needed and I didn’t give it a second thought.  As a matter of fact my mother didn’t seem that upset either, food for thought.  At least nowadays communication is so much easier than it was back when I set out. 

Pee Wee and Daughter Last Night in NYC

My daughter is staying with a Curbside friend for the last two weeks in New York and was reunited with her cat, Pee Wee the Spineless, who will probably spend the next two months hiding under beds.   Wing Man heads out to La La land on Thursday in pursuit of the fast moving pods loaded with all their gear.

Even being declared the regular season champions for the fantasy foot league did little to assist in the spirit department, although knowing how painful that was for my son, the commissioner, to declare it did a little.  The real assistance came in the form of a lonely pine tree looking for a new home.  I’m something of a died in the wool Christmas fanatic and the biggest event of the lead up is always the arrival of the Christmas tree

My Decisive Wife Caught Up With This Year's Tree

That happened last night when my wife and I wended our way through the back roads for our annual purchase.  One of the coolest things about still being in our house is the ability to go fairly big in the tree department.  My wife was her usual decisive self – selecting three different trees three different times each before the tree guy finally just walked towards the car with the final selection.  As usual she was right – the tree looks great.

We Got as Far as the Lights

I was a little forlorn about having to move the couch further away from prime viewing position but she told me to suck it up.  The smell of pine that permeated the house this morning definitely commenced a general sense of the Christmas season kicking off.  I completed the start by listening to Christmas carols on the way to work, it even made the commute time traffic somewhat more bearable.  I think the Christmas season is what’s going to get me over the daughter separation funk, that, and knowing how happy she’s going to be out there.