I think it's time for the the fullout Christmas run down. As I now have the 5 hours it will take. 
Friday: Christmas Eve Eve.
Regan always has Fridays off, so I took this one off too so we could get ready for the next couple of days. We spent the day gathering gifts, watching John Stewart "Indecision 2004", packing all the baked goods Regan made the previous weekend onto the family "baskets" we make every year ( a holdover when we actually coudn't afford to buy family gifts, so we put together baskest of goodies and little stuff), cleaning the house, listening to Christmas music, and getting impatient for opening gifts. Regan is the most impatient person I have ever met regarding gifts. She has been wanting to give me my gifts from her for 3 weeks.
Finally, we packed the first round of stuff into the car.
Overall, a truly lovely day full of anticipation and relaxation in equal amounts.
*Interlude*
We are not Christian. Why celebrate Christmas then? Tradition? It's fun? Gifts food and family? Who knows.
For me, it has alwaysbeen a time when problems seem to shrink and take their proper perspective, family means what iti is supposed to, reflection on the past year has meaning and planing for the new begins, and I LOOVE GIFT GIVING. Don't get me wrong, I love to get em too, but the older I get, the less important the receiving gets and the more special the giving.
So I don't care if it is caled Yule, Solstice, Christmas, Mithras Day, or whatever. It's a time to truly appreciate what you have andto look forward to the coming year.
I ave always kinda wated to celebrate the entire 12 days of Yule, but never seem to get around to it. Maybe next year.
Regan has alwas hated Christmas, due to long scabbed family issues, but they are getting better for her.
Saturday: Christmas Eve
Lounged around in the morning, took care of the animals, and had a splendid time contemplating the coming festivites. In past years, we go to Regan's family's house and spend the night to do Christmas day there, then going to her extended family's, then trying to run home and go to my parents. It has always bee kinda nightmarish, and consequently, we have never had Our Own Christmas at home that morning. so this year, we did not do that, using Regans trip to London with her dad the day after Christmas as the excuse. her mom handled it eter then we thought she would. So we went up in the aftenoon.
We had a brilliant time. There friends Bud and Ed, two old queens, came up and we sat around and laughed, alked, and drank. I took some of my famous hot lemon shrub with us, wich loosened tongues nicely. Had a delicious dinner of chili and cinnamon rolls. Then we opened the first round of gifts!!
What did Lance get?
Nirvana Umplugged cd
Set of wood carving knives (yea!)
Awesome Columbia cold weather boots
TJ Maxx Gift card
A cookbook
Flaming Lips CD
Lots o fun!!
The girls (Regan, her mom, and her sister) then enjoyed the hot tub, Bud and Ed left, Tim and I listened to music and dozed. Then we left!! It was a truly wonderful Eve, probably the best we've evr had, and most everyone said how they liked the new arrangement better. Coup!
Sunday: Christmas Day
The dogs, as usual, wake me up at 6:15. I sneak up, fill regan's stocking, and put her gifts out in the living room, the back to bed.
We both wake around 7:45 and can't go back to sleep! So up we get, and Regan finds a "note" from Santa telling her where he left my gifts and stocking!! (damn, we are so totally dorks)
So we make some tea, giggle a lot, and sit down to it!!
Lance got from Regan:
A new La Creusete tea kettle
A new robe
socks
underwear ( cool stuff!! she gets me fun boxers )
Two cd's- Enter the Haggis ( traditional music done in a contemporary way- very cool)
Great Big Sea (traditional newfie music)
A bottle of port
The Monty Python Flying Circus guide book- encycolpedically complete!!
The ENTIRE Monty pythons Flying Circus on DVD!!
my wife rocks
Scratch off Lotto tickets
$20 n movie gift certificates
What did regan get?
A new coat for her trip- wool and casmere - oooo!!
a single pearl pendant on gold chain (which she has yet to take off )
The Best American short Stories of 2005
The Best Unrequired reading of 2005
X-Ray Specs cd
The Elements of Style (illustrated)
An Onion day calendar
a new pottery tea set (for both of us- we've been exploring tea lately)
The Sakki-Sakki tarot book
lots of wacky Japanese notecards, stickers, and pins
Best cfhristmas ever. Not because of gifts- though i have to say, she loved em all and so did I- but because we FINALLY got to have our own without sharing t with anyone.
Laer we went to my parents house for brunch. My sister and brother in law and our neices were there. my oldest niece (she's 9) got an electric guitar for Christmas. she's really high strung and attention mongering, and we thught it would be a nightmare, but actually it was pretty cool.
We opened more gifts-
Lance got-
new reenacting boots (desperately needed!)
Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
The Anthology of American Folk Music ed. Harry Smith
Good stuff!!
My dad got my mom a new laptop from Dell. Kind of problematic- mom has some health issues, and her mobility coordination and cognitive skills are seriously impaired- longterm problem for all of us, she spends a lot of time bored- what can we et her to help her mprove skills while making her happy and not so damned bored?
A COMPUTER?!?
She hasn't touched one in 15 years. Not only a steep learning curve, but added on to her other problems....
So my sister's family left to go to his mom's and we spent the rest of the time trying to set up her computer and show her some basic stuff. Dad is also a functional illiterate when it comes to computing.
The jury is still out.
So we got home, played with our stuff a bit, Rega got packed, and off to bed.
Monday: Boxing Day
A sad day. we got up early to get to the airport. I put Regan on a plane. I won't see her until next Wednesday.
Her dad is taking her to London for a holiday. Very nice, yet still... her first trip to a foreign land, and i'm not there...
Anyway, we had a tremendous hoilday. It went off better than anyone could ave planned. Very much what it should be in my opine.
My fingers hurt. I'm done.
Friday: Christmas Eve Eve.
Regan always has Fridays off, so I took this one off too so we could get ready for the next couple of days. We spent the day gathering gifts, watching John Stewart "Indecision 2004", packing all the baked goods Regan made the previous weekend onto the family "baskets" we make every year ( a holdover when we actually coudn't afford to buy family gifts, so we put together baskest of goodies and little stuff), cleaning the house, listening to Christmas music, and getting impatient for opening gifts. Regan is the most impatient person I have ever met regarding gifts. She has been wanting to give me my gifts from her for 3 weeks.
Finally, we packed the first round of stuff into the car.
Overall, a truly lovely day full of anticipation and relaxation in equal amounts.
*Interlude*
We are not Christian. Why celebrate Christmas then? Tradition? It's fun? Gifts food and family? Who knows.
For me, it has alwaysbeen a time when problems seem to shrink and take their proper perspective, family means what iti is supposed to, reflection on the past year has meaning and planing for the new begins, and I LOOVE GIFT GIVING. Don't get me wrong, I love to get em too, but the older I get, the less important the receiving gets and the more special the giving.
So I don't care if it is caled Yule, Solstice, Christmas, Mithras Day, or whatever. It's a time to truly appreciate what you have andto look forward to the coming year.
I ave always kinda wated to celebrate the entire 12 days of Yule, but never seem to get around to it. Maybe next year.
Regan has alwas hated Christmas, due to long scabbed family issues, but they are getting better for her.
Saturday: Christmas Eve
Lounged around in the morning, took care of the animals, and had a splendid time contemplating the coming festivites. In past years, we go to Regan's family's house and spend the night to do Christmas day there, then going to her extended family's, then trying to run home and go to my parents. It has always bee kinda nightmarish, and consequently, we have never had Our Own Christmas at home that morning. so this year, we did not do that, using Regans trip to London with her dad the day after Christmas as the excuse. her mom handled it eter then we thought she would. So we went up in the aftenoon.
We had a brilliant time. There friends Bud and Ed, two old queens, came up and we sat around and laughed, alked, and drank. I took some of my famous hot lemon shrub with us, wich loosened tongues nicely. Had a delicious dinner of chili and cinnamon rolls. Then we opened the first round of gifts!!
What did Lance get?
Nirvana Umplugged cd
Set of wood carving knives (yea!)
Awesome Columbia cold weather boots
TJ Maxx Gift card
A cookbook
Flaming Lips CD
Lots o fun!!
The girls (Regan, her mom, and her sister) then enjoyed the hot tub, Bud and Ed left, Tim and I listened to music and dozed. Then we left!! It was a truly wonderful Eve, probably the best we've evr had, and most everyone said how they liked the new arrangement better. Coup!
Sunday: Christmas Day
The dogs, as usual, wake me up at 6:15. I sneak up, fill regan's stocking, and put her gifts out in the living room, the back to bed.
We both wake around 7:45 and can't go back to sleep! So up we get, and Regan finds a "note" from Santa telling her where he left my gifts and stocking!! (damn, we are so totally dorks)
So we make some tea, giggle a lot, and sit down to it!!
Lance got from Regan:
A new La Creusete tea kettle
A new robe
socks
underwear ( cool stuff!! she gets me fun boxers
)
Two cd's- Enter the Haggis ( traditional music done in a contemporary way- very cool)
Great Big Sea (traditional newfie music)
A bottle of port
The Monty Python Flying Circus guide book- encycolpedically complete!!
The ENTIRE Monty pythons Flying Circus on DVD!!
my wife rocks
Scratch off Lotto tickets
$20 n movie gift certificates
What did regan get?
A new coat for her trip- wool and casmere - oooo!!
a single pearl pendant on gold chain (which she has yet to take off
)
The Best American short Stories of 2005
The Best Unrequired reading of 2005
X-Ray Specs cd
The Elements of Style (illustrated)
An Onion day calendar
a new pottery tea set (for both of us- we've been exploring tea lately)
The Sakki-Sakki tarot book
lots of wacky Japanese notecards, stickers, and pins
Best cfhristmas ever. Not because of gifts- though i have to say, she loved em all and so did I- but because we FINALLY got to have our own without sharing t with anyone.
Laer we went to my parents house for brunch. My sister and brother in law and our neices were there. my oldest niece (she's 9) got an electric guitar for Christmas. she's really high strung and attention mongering, and we thught it would be a nightmare, but actually it was pretty cool.
We opened more gifts-
Lance got-
new reenacting boots (desperately needed!)
Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
The Anthology of American Folk Music ed. Harry Smith
Good stuff!!
My dad got my mom a new laptop from Dell. Kind of problematic- mom has some health issues, and her mobility coordination and cognitive skills are seriously impaired- longterm problem for all of us, she spends a lot of time bored- what can we et her to help her mprove skills while making her happy and not so damned bored?
A COMPUTER?!?
She hasn't touched one in 15 years. Not only a steep learning curve, but added on to her other problems....
So my sister's family left to go to his mom's and we spent the rest of the time trying to set up her computer and show her some basic stuff. Dad is also a functional illiterate when it comes to computing.
The jury is still out.
So we got home, played with our stuff a bit, Rega got packed, and off to bed.
Monday: Boxing Day
A sad day. we got up early to get to the airport. I put Regan on a plane. I won't see her until next Wednesday.
Her dad is taking her to London for a holiday. Very nice, yet still... her first trip to a foreign land, and i'm not there...
Anyway, we had a tremendous hoilday. It went off better than anyone could ave planned. Very much what it should be in my opine.
My fingers hurt. I'm done.
VIEW 13 of 13 COMMENTS
well..... at least try!
I like my scar too
My reenactment pictures are actually at Niagara on the Lake at Fort George this past summer. I worked at Fort York, a Toronto historic site, as a member of the squad. We drilled and demoed at our Fort all summer and then took part in a reenactment and then a drill competition at Fort George. But basically we just raised and lowered the Union Jack flag every day and demonstrated light infantry and cannon firing for the tourists.
Are you a reenacter? I notice you're from Kentucky... so from your picture I gather you are more involved in civil war reenactment...?
Anyway, thanks again for all your comments... and don't feel too bad about having shorter legs then me... I tower over everyone lol