BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***

Subject: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 07:59 PM

Early this morning, about 5 AM, I posted this:

It's about a quarter til five in the AM........Last night as we have for almost 15 years, we spent Christmas Eve with Connie and Wayne and their sons Ricky (16) and David (12). We are an "invented" family. Connie and I met when teaching together and something clicked. She was indeed the sister I never had. As it turned out, Wayne and I grew up in small towns only a few miles apart and at the same time, but we'd never met and equally spooky is that our family cemetery plots border each other in the old cemetery back home. They are our family and we theirs, though today they will spend Christmas as always at Connie's parents with Wayne's Dad and sister there too.

Why am I telling you this? I suppose it's because that Karen and I have a truly "wonderful life" and it's made special by our friends. Although Karen has sisters and her Mom in Atlanta, I have no living relatives and our boys (9) have had the benefits of a warm loving family because we have had the "luxury" of choosing that family. Connie and Wayne and Karen and I have weathered so much in the past years and in every case we have always "been there" for each other, in every instance, no matter what. We feel no stronger as family on Christmas Eve than we do any other time, but the traditions of things we do on that day down to the Oyster stew are touchstones in our lives and when they are here on New Year's Day, we'll kind of complete the feeling.....another year, more deeply bonded, and closer than many bio families ever are.

We got home at 1 AM and "Santa" finished the stockings off at about 2 and copped a couple hours sleep. We'll have a nice Christmas, Michael will get all the biggies on his list, Tristan will be happy with having things to unwrap.....as long as one of them is a "big truck." They are the lights of our life and although I considered killing them the past week as they were driven by the Christmas spirit to be the pains in the ass that kids can be at this time of year, in a few hours they'll be playing with the new things both have been dreaming about. We'll have leg of lamb for Christmas dinner and Karen and I will count our many blessings, not hte least of which are all of you here at the 'Cat. A number of you will get calls today as we continue to invent our family.

Well, it's time for me to build a fire in the fireplace and then wake up the finest life partner anyone has ever or will ever have. We'll spend a few moments together quietly before the onslaught of two excited young boys..........and she'll get her stuffed bear, another tradition with a story far too long to tell.

Merry Christmas to all of you.....I value your friendship and this place more than words can say.

Here and at many places around the world, Christmas Day has come or is coming to an end....Karen came down at about the time I finished the above post this morning and the day went just about as expected. The lamb was exquisite with parsley new potatoes and creamed asparagus and ina few minutes we'll top it off with some cheesecake. The boys are still wired but calmer now and both had a great day.

I hope yours was too.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: CarolC
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 09:44 PM

I posted this to the 'Christmas Plans' thread, but I guess I'll put it here, too...

Back at Leisure World digesting dinner. The highlight for me, of course, is seeing my son. He looks just like a college student these days, which is pretty cool with me. I've missed out on a lot of the normal things people experience in life, but my son more than makes up for that. I wouldn't trade him for any amound of normalcy. (I know that doesn't sound quite right, but it's what I wanted to say.)

So I found out today that my family is going for some kind of record for number of members who can claim something really cheesy about themselves.

There's the whole Leisure World thing, to begin with. And now we've got a politician (elected by two whole votes... the only two cast for that office), a game show host, a bodhran player, and an accordion playing calendar pinup girl. So I'm wondering is this just the beginning, or have we reached some kind of critical cheese mass or something?

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Sorcha
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 10:07 PM

The gifts are unwrapped, the food is eaten, the messes cleaned up, the dogs fed, and no one but the dogs and I are home. Bubba at girlfriends, Sissie at boyfriends. Well, Mr. is home, but sleeping so he can go to work at 11. A quiet, boring day. The only crisis was that Max--Bubbas' new dog jumped the fence and went walkabout. Caught him, though.

For those who are interested, Max is an Australian Shepherd/Doberman cross. Neat, neat dog. Plus, we are dog-sitting 2--a West Highland white terrier and another Corgi........5 dogs, 4 cats. Amazingly, everyone gets along just fine.

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 Dec 01 - 10:46 PM

It has been a good Christmas. Spent it with a truncated version of the family. My brother and one sister live in distant states. And we spent the day at my youngest sister's house instead of at the farm up north.

Still there were all the prerequisites. We had a young child too excited to sit still, lots of presents, lots of food, many laughs, some quiet conversations and no fighting. We managed to polish off most of a 25 pound turkey and a lot of the trimmings.

All in all, a nice family holiday.

I wish the same to all my friends out there, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 05:14 AM

A quiet day, punctuated by tantrums from the bratling who whined that she was hungry, ate three raw sprouts but when fed her dinner wouldn't eat the cooked! After bribery with more presents she proceeded to polish off a plate of sprouts and carrots, some icecream and some of MY secret Santa chocolates..... all the while saying she wasnt' hungry.

Telly, snooze, read stories to bratling, more telly (wha' choo lookin' a' - ain't you never seen no-one wearing this much leopard skin??) and bed.

Off to the Mummers play now. Anyone seen any wrens??

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 10:43 AM

Geez, I'm about to O.D. on bliss. But I must admit that it was a holiday rich enough to keep the cynic sitting quietly, sated, in some corner of my mind for a while. I'm sure he'll be back in his raving glory by New Year's Eve, but for now I'm going to enjoy this.

There's a song that wishes us the Christmas that we deserve. It sounds, 'Spaw, like you may have gotten yours. Now if this glow can only last through the coming year. . .

All the best to you and yours
Bart

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: MMario
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 11:00 AM

Carol - it's just the beginning. (*grin*) after all, you have a nother generation coming along.

MMario - from a family including a faux-ranger;cranberry picker;pillow fighter;computer bridge-player;christmas tree trimmer;wheelchair tennis champ etc, etc../

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 12:31 PM

Carol, that *IS* a pretty impressive line-up ;~) !

In my family we just have garden variety nutters.....

We are snowed in under piles & piles & piles of new STUFF: legos, video games, sweaters, radio-controlled bugs (yes, bugs---they're about the size of lobsters, & my 7 & 10 year olds are MAD for them; they also drive dogs crazy!!!), books, CDs, etc, etc, etc.....we'll dig out over the next week or so, but today I'm sitting right here on my bottom, and I advise everyone who's able to do to do the same!

Liz---I think my 7 year old son sounds like the ideal mate for the Bratling: "I'm hungry! I won't eat that! I'm NOT hungry...!" Cute, though.

Perhaps we should arrange things now?

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 01:41 PM

My one year old son Brendan has been having a lot of trouble teething - he has at least 4 coming in at once. So we're up several times a night to give him Motrin,ect. The whole family has been sleep deprived. The other night we're watching "It's A Wonderful Life" and when George's brother says he's the "richest man in town" I was able to look down at my son sleeping quietly in my arms { for a change } and really know what it's really like to be the richest man in town. There's nothing like the look on a sleeping baby's face { and the sound of his tiny snores } to give you a warm holiday glow.

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: 53
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 02:41 PM

i'm thankful that the big day only comes once a year, if it came more i think we'd all be a lot nuttier than we already are. BOB

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 04:16 PM

Well, it was a nice Xmas because of a new Nordic Roots CD, and ending the day in the hot tub, overlooking the snowy, frozen lake.

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 04:33 PM

Oooooh---lucky you, I'm jealous! Some time in a hot tub is exactly what my aching, post-holiday back would really like for Christmas!

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 04:38 PM

Right now I wonder if I'd even fit into a hot tub!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 09:28 PM

well, I am looking askance at the leftover Chocolate Rum pie, Rum cake, Belgian chocolates, etc., and wondering just how long I can nurse them. I do not gain weight easily, but........"Good, Though"

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 09:43 PM

OK, Insomnia has hit, it's 2.40am in the UK, I can't eat any more chocolate tonight, I have to work later today, there weren't any wrens but I got my face well and truly blackened by the Mummers, and I'm in need of some serious exercise!!

Wesley - carrot sticks. Peel 'em, chop 'em up into 2" long sticks, keep them in the fridge. Hard enough to bite onto, soft enough to not damage. Easy for little fingers to hold, too big to lose down a throat, but small enough to be easily transportable. Tasty, but not sugar loaded and cool enough to soothe hot sore gums. Plus they don't go all mushy and stick to clothes. We got through 3 bags of carrots a week when Bratling was teething. Don't overdo it though or you end up with an orange baby.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: The BIG DAY Comes to an End***ahhh***
From: GUEST,Desdemona
Date: 26 Dec 01 - 10:25 PM

Liz.....try COUNTING all the chocolates you've eaten....oh, no, that won't HELP you sleep, now will it? I hear you about the exercise: something has definitely got to give, and it better not be my waistband!

Spaw---how about a hot pool? A hot pond....?!

I know, y'all can join me in my hot lake!