Life of Wry

(Sung to the tune of, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year..” can’t ya just hear Andy Williams voice ringing out?)

I changed it to day and refer of the day after Christmas. Is that cynical? I have to check my cynicism about this time every year. I’m usually a leeeetle bit too happy to see Christmas come to an end. I might guess it has to do with the amount of work it takes to pull Christmas off every year (which is a problem of my own making… I mean… it doesn’t have to be this much work).

The absolute truth is, I like a whole bunch about Christmas, more than I resent, a lot more…. but, it’s still more project management than a joyful season of light and good spirits. It just is. And Mr. Pandemic year, while I thought it might be scaled way back, was pretty much the same amount of effort. Same basics — tree, lights, decorations, gift buying, wrapping, shipping (far more than usual since we didn’t see anyone in person), cards, family calendars (still yet to do), meal planning/cooking, baking, delivering. This year most events were online, and there were no gatherings whatsoever, so we netted time in the travel department… but, see? Still a bunch to do.

Okay… no grousing. Sorry.

I posted a couple of pics in last night’s blog, and here are a few more, with descriptions.

Started day with Peter via Zoom. We shipped 6-7 boxes his way.. there is still one that hasn’t arrived (the first one we shipped, interestingly). We ordered a babka from the local bakery — Zingerman’s — so he could have coffee and baked goods with us as we ate ours (from Upper Crust). Fun eh? Here he is getting ready to open his stocking:

My god, that hair.

This is the view out his window at Escher coop:

THAT is a white Christmas! I was glad for that. And he got to get out in it, too, a snowy walk with Claire and Lisa, in his new winter coat.. so yay.

Then we spent another couple hours or so opening presents and generally hanging out before he had to take off. Later in the day, Claire and Lisa sent this picture: they’d put Peter to work in the kitchen cutting veggies… another first for the Christmas annals.

Funny to see our dryer marks are still on his pile pullover.

Mid-afternoon, we had a Frame Family Zoom gathering:

That was about an hour and a half. Good times… these Zoom gatherings are pretty focused and easily allow good attendance! As usual, good Frame conversations.

We had another Zoom call later in the evening with the Peterson family which was a smaller group, especially as the Thailand contingent was unable to get its Zoom audio to work.. so lots of hand gestures from Jay and Saythong before they gave up. Matt kept it short for Michael reasons, John and clan had a conflict.. so mostly it was Chris, Peter, Jim and me, which was mellow and sweet (and I wonder if I’ll always remember the edibles conversation..).

So, in sum: Christmas 2020 was not horrible. How ’bout that. Lots of family and friend connections–online and over the phone.. but still lots of great conversation. It was memorable for its unconvention (it’s okay, spellcheck, this is my blog and I get to make up words) and our adherence to covid protocol earns us a whopper of a celebration next year. At least huggy, with a lot people.

Here are a couple shots from the end of Christmas Day.. Christmas wind down:

For Christmas dinner, Jim took Christmas Eve’s turkey (with its crispy bacon wrap) and turned it into amazingly flavorful turkey soup.. which he served with his homemade corn muffins. Off the charts comfort food.

And if ever there were a defining Christmas-is-over statement, it’s the nubbins of Christmas candles flaming out..

Only five more days ’til the end of this ridiculous and tragic year.