Home for the holidays

So I just sludged 978 miles through snow and sleet and snow-packed roads, some sliding on the interstates and avoided jack-knifed trucks and snow drifts. But made it I did.

I've made it back to the 909, where I was born (well, it was the 714 back then) and raised, and it will always be home, despite having moved out of this area 11 years ago. (And Tebow H. Christ, the driving is off-the-charts insanity out here, but I digress.) And I'm staying with my parents -- yes, I did have choices, as I've been reminded -- and within 30 minutes, it's become a barrage of text messages from me that basically said, "Um, what's happened to mom and dad?"

Something as simple as finding the password for the wireless was a chore and high-volumed, um, commentary. Seriously, I could have written two Seinfeld scripts since arriving within the first 30 minutes. Good thing I tapped into my brother's keg upon arrival.

I know it's worse in a lot of places this time of year, and in comparison, it's minor bitching/quibbling, and and things will be fine. They already are. Plus, I'm meeting my newest nephew tomorrow.

But ... if you need a place to sound off and vent about your holiday travails, have at it.

As for me, I'm ready to sleep. Except the volume on the TV is sky-high on a 5-week-old episode of CSI: New York. Or is it ER?

Ho, ho, ho.

 

Courtney is in Honduras. Our son comes home tomorrow night. We'll have a "quiet, small Christmas," since we got our presents in August (though I am sending The Queen to see her daughter). I head back Sunday night and work Monday.

We do our massive "family Christmas" on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

I am going to smoke a turkey. I always smoke a turkey. With oyster stuffing. Must hold back on the wine this year since I have to drive that night.

 

Indecent things have been done for a lot less than all of that. But maybe I'm just easy.

 

I have never celebrated Christmas, and Miss Ragu doesn't celebrate, even though she was raised Catholic. This year, though, she is feeling nostalgic and she misses her parents who are an ocean away (she is going to visit next week).

She has never seen Miracle on 34th Street (she saw It's a Wonderful Life for the first time a year ago). So I figured I'd roast up some chestnuts and we'd get in front of the TV for it, either Christmas Eve or on Christmas. I think tomorrow night or Sunday night, we are going to do some night ice skating at either Rockefeller Center or Wollman Rink in Central Park. It's a bit cheesy, but we do the free skating at Bryant Park a lot (best thing going about NYC in the winter) and even though it is a colossal rip off at Rockefeller Center or Central Park, skating in the middle of a ton of people with the tree in the background at night might be a good diversion.

I still haven't figured out what we are going to do for a meal. We cook almost every weekend and have done some amazing meals the last few weeks, so doing something different or special will be difficult.