Gearing Up

My Daughter Texted This Photo from her Day's Shopping Excursion
Fellow Movie Nuts Will Understand

It really feels like Christmas has started in earnest and not just because I was up into the wee hours of the night preparing a turkey.  My son and the ABFA showed up last night so my wife and I did not have to rely on each other for Christmas spirit fixes.  It’s always so much easier when the “kids” are involved.  We’re without the daughter and Wingman for the first time so it was nice that my daughter called in during turkey prep to arrange a video call today before she and Wingman head for the wilds of Northern California for Christmas with Wingman relatives.  I’d like to think I sensed a feeling of wistful missing a Massachusetts Christmas from her.  The best Christmas gift I’ve received so far is to see how happy both of them are in their new California digs.

The Day's Haul in Office Gifts

After surviving my kindle crisis at work I was pelted with gifts all day at work yesterday.  My favorite employee showed up with her annual gift of just about the best chocolate chip cookies in the Western Hemisphere (no nuts) and the operations manager planted a case of beer on my desk.  I don’t know where he got the idea I liked to drink beer and I didn’t have the heart to tell him Bud Light is not the right brand (as he should know if he’d been paying attention at First Fridays).  I’ll be able to foist this off on some unsuspecting house guest or my favorite cousin – whomever shows up first.  If I’m going to be drinking weak ass American beer (in my son and Wingman’s stated opinion) than it will be Coors Light!  By the end of the day I had two more tins of cookies and some chocolates.  It was a gloomy ride home through the mist and I had to slam on the brakes to avoid a Worcesterite who used his holiday dispensation from following traffic laws for an illegal left turn directly in my path.  When my heart stopped racing I noticed the assorted cookies, beer, and chocolates which had been carefully placed in the back seat were now decorating some exotic locations throughout the interior of the car.  I went back to Christmas carols and knowing my son was enroute for the needed morale boost at that point.

The Zorba Crew
(from left) - Son, ABFA, Wife and Myself

When my son and the ABFA did show up they were famished which we quickly addressed with a visit to Zorba’s.  A visit there has become a tradition whenever one of the “kids” turns up at our doorstep.  We texted a photo of the assembled group to my daughter just to twist the separation sword a little harder.  In reality we wanted her to know we missed her and Wingman and wished they were seated next to us.  A return home brought out (at last) my wife’s frozen horde of Christmas cookies and the keto vacation officially commenced.  We attempted to watch a holiday movie but only made it half way before succumbing to the long day.  Everyone else headed upstairs while I commenced battle with the Christmas turkey and talking to the California daughter.  None of these late night hijinks made getting up at 3:30am this morning any easier.  My excellent boss and I show up at 4am each Christmas eve to greet the early morning employees with coffee and donuts.  I’m thinking there’s an afternoon nap on the agenda.

The Christmas Cookies Emerged From Hiding

I noticed from the blog statistics page that I’ve had a lot of readers from France and Taiwan the last few days. While I cannot understand their interest in my nonsensical ramblings - bienvenue and 欢迎! Also – sorry about all the French jokes!