I Fought The Lawn

 Happy Festivus from all of us!
The holiday season has gone very well for the family, thank you for asking. The family thing has been remarkably heartwarming – you know, chestnuts roasting and the toasting of friends and bad sweaters with snowflakes on them and whatnot – and thus I must admit that while I have fought the lawn this year, I have done so only half-heartedly. The family life’s for me, mate, and I think my little war is really about struggling to retain my cool while simultaneously embracing the trappings of suburbia. I suppose it always has been.

So! What have we been doing over the holuday season, while I haven’t been blogging? Well, we’ve been gearing up for Christmas. This is Jack-Jack’s first Christmas, and he’s taken to the Christmas tree quite quickly. In fact, it’s difficult to say who has won the honourable title of “Christmas Cat” that the children bestow annually- the good Captain or Young Abagail. Either way, Gentleman Jack has fast become a favourite member of the family. and has taken to me even more than the tree.

I decorated the outside of the house again this year, and I’m from the “less is more” camp. While my neighbourhood looks like the Griswolds exploded all over Vegas, I prefer to stay much more muted.  Hailey and I did some baking just for fun, and we went back to Mirra’s Place [where our wedding reception was] for her company Christmas party. Mirra’s is heaven, and the filet mignon and lobster tail is the best. Doesn’t she look great? Her boss felt it was a “miracle” that her company survived, and so gave his annual holiday speech dressed as a Catholic priest. You gotta respect that kind of humour.

[Incidentally, this is the coolest forty-something couple I know. Steve works with Tania, and his wife Carol is a gas. I can only pray I'm this fun ten years from now.]
We hosted Boom-Boom, Mrs Boom-Boom and Boom-Boom Junior [who almost made a boom-boom in his pants!] last night, and Kevin made this incredibly good cream cheese and salsa dip thingy that he will now have to post the recipie for. Tania and I are eating the rest of it right now. Dennis, Marina and the kids were also here, and a good time was had by all. We host Randy as well as Shaun and Paulina on the 30th just for kicks.

Tania completed her annual ritual of building the tree, of course [no one's allowed to help her, which sounds sad but is really quite amusing], and what started as a pleasant, clean little room like this in our house ended up looking like this today [Tania's family being weird, and opening gifts up a day early]. It was over to her sister’s place for dinner and whatnot, where there was more gift-giving and merriment.

I spent waaaaaaay too much money on my family and friends, but I loved doing it and I don’t really care. Tiger Woods ‘07 came my way, as well as an MP3 player for the car I have to get myself. I’m adding the XM satellite radio. But that being said, I truly enjoyed giving to others this year more than recieving anything. The fates have been kind to Timmy this year, and he’s happy to give back.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Festivus to the rest of us, people.

- BC 

“Buckle up, Charlize.  I’ll tell you what Christmas is all about.  Lights, please. 

“Here’s the deal, newbie.  You can stuff your stockings with shiny toys from now until you grow some testicles.  But until that stocking is filled with friendship, loyalty, love and devotion, well it’s just plum empty.  And no you can’t purchase those things at Laura Ashleigh and no you can’t win them in the Redbook Giveaway Extravaganza and gee, sorry if these aren’t things that you can wind up and watch spin for eight hours.  Let me make this exceptionally clear:  Christmas is about love. You can’t live without other people’s love.  Not during Christmas, not ever. 

“So go spend that time with your friends and family, and if they laugh at you, laugh with them.  And if they laugh at you again, hit ‘em and go find some new friends.   But for the love of god, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat, don’t ever forget this newbie: you have to give love to get love… so start giving.  Now. 

“That’s what Christmas is all about, there, newbie.”

- Dr. Perry Cox, Scrubs