Christmas

Christmas morning we were up first and we had trouble getting dash out. Eventually everyone was downstairs in the kitchen. There were a few things to eat. I made coffee even though I knew our host would be making it later. Everyone had to second-guess me but it was all right.

We all hung out in the living room playing with trucks until the sticky buns and other things God made. When our hosts were finally up they started coffee and prepared us bread. That was when our hostess played Santa Claus again.

I got a sock and a noisy sock. I was able to empty both in 10 minutes. There were the usual wind up toys and a couple of mini harmonicas. My friend got a couple of heirlooms and a needlepoint from the aunts. Our host gave her photographs and I got a train set – the last weekend had convinced her.

While this was happening I made regular passes at the sticky buns and had a bit more to eat. We also slowly got ready for our day and my friend started feeling crappy so I decided she would have a nap.

Our hosts told us we would go for a walk and I suggested we ride – we went as a quiet, walking and writing group. I took the Feets and the aunt took the Nihola. We went to Crab Cove and took pictures on the water. Several of us had loud matching shirts.

We spent time in the new botanical areas of the park and then the aunt and I wrote back together. My friend hasn’t really napped and I felt like we were getting close to time to leave. However we hadn’t packed enough so I had to collect a bunch of things.

It was around 2 o’clock when we headed to San Francisco. My friend was fretting but I knew we had enough time to go to the apartment and then to go to my sister’s. I took the Ninth Street exit. There were a bunch of things that we had to drop off but it was pretty quiet in the mom’s car while we were doing it.

I made a U-turn and drove over Twin Peaks to Vicente. My friend hung out with the car as quiet time had started. I saw my brother-in-law and his kids. Dad was outside with my friend as were mom and my sister-in-law. I also saw my brother.

I had a drink and joked about in-laws. My brother-in-law didn’t see any irony in my jokes. People we’re going back-and-forth to the car to see my friend and eventually I traded with her. She made noise upstairs and I was quiet in my nephew’s room.

Later we traded again. I was given a present from dad – add shirt – and my sister gave me some ornaments. My friend came up around then as we tried to figure out who was driving. My brother and mom offered to take us home since the pick up and the escape her there.

My sister served us some food then. My brother and nephew played a geography game. We sat around talking until it became apparent that most of the party from 44th wanted to leave.

I went with dad and my brother and the GMC and the ladies went in Escape. At the house we traded presents and we were running out of beer. It was late but we were really noisy because there were a lot of presents to hand out. I got more socks and other basic items. We made some cocktails.

My brother and his wife had to drive to the apartment then because she was going to the airport the next morning. My friend and I wound that room down and watch Rick and Morty and Venture Brothers until late.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.