Holidaze Haikuz and Recapz
Faithful 12.6 readers,
The lazy writer of this site (me) has decided to make with the ebjournalistic point of this site, namely journalling about my life. Introspection will return shortly with a discussion about family (currently on the drafting board).
So, without further fanfare, I present to you, the holiday recap, previewed in full Haiku, brought to you by NCTE (motto: why aren’t you learning?)
Dec. 24th:
We wait eagerly
For the arrival of kin
Customs make us wait
My mother, and my sister Aurora had been in Ethiopia for the past 10 days, working to adopt our newest member of our family, our sister Tsigereda. T is around 11 years old, and has a smile that lights up the room, when she chooses to show it. I can’t imagine why she might be a little shy, the following reasons nonwithstanding:
A) She’s been transported to a faraway country on an airplane, which she had never ridden before.
B) English is not her first language, and no one around her has been speaking Amharic since she boarded the plane.
C) She’s surrounded by five less-than-calm siblings, all of who want to show off as much as possible.
D) It’s Christmas Eve, and so there are cousins, presents, and food (most of which she doesn’t want to eat) everywhere.
After we got back from the airport, we showed T her new house, and her room, which she’ll be sharing with Aurora. (Mom, way smart on your part to bring Aurora with to acclimate the two of them so that sharing a room will be way easier. And yes, my mom reads this.)
And then we threw T into the fire by going to the annual Christmas Eve party, which involves approximately 40 people. Good times, lots of people, food, and gift opening.
TLEMK and I bowed out early, because we knew the 25th would be a busy day.
Dec. 25: (aka Christmas)
Alarms rang early
I got some really good stuff
and ate way too much
5:30, My subconciousness….
“What is that insane buzzing sound? Am I dreaming? It’s still dark? Am I late for school? Oh, wait…”
It’s Christmas morning.
In our insane attempt to make everyone happy, TLEMK and I are now in the habit of getting up early (5:30 early) on Christmas, and exchanging our gifts. By 8:00, we were showered and over at my parent’s house, where the 6 little sibs were starting to riot. It’s much more fun to be on the torturing, slow motion side of things rather than the impatient side.
And then the frenzy ensued. Sharks smelling blood have nothing on a swarm of grade school children approaching a present feast. Actually, five out of my six little siblings did a nice job with appreciating their gifts. One was definitely a little more, um, greedy? selfish? counting how many presents they had and not paying attention to anyone else? He/she shall remain nameless. The other thought wandering through my head: “I wonder if Tsigereda thinks every morning is going to be like this…”
What about me, you ask? (Like I care if you didn’t)
I got some good stuff:
Auto-laser-level from Black & Decker (thanks TLEMK)
Calvin and Hobbes complete set (In Napoleon voice: “Sweet, yessssss….”)
Gift Cards to Best Buy– with which we bought a printer
Clothes– three shirts, socks, and boxers.
Kanye West’s College Dropout
some more stuff
assorted gift cards and tchotchkes from my students.
Good haul. Not that I’m keeping track. I would have been happy with smiles and hugs. And gift cards.
After cooking four pounds of bacon for the family (four pounds! That’s a lot of bacon…mmm, bacon…), and having a tremendous breakfast, we headed over to TLEMK’s parent’s house for more opening of presents, more eating of food, and more watching of football. All in all, good times.
Dec. 26th
More to celebrate?
To Oswego we traveled
They fed us a lot too.
Arriving at noon at our last present opening, official Christmas festival, my father and family greeted us with food, and the offer for a drink. No, not that kind, but the real kind. I declined, but only for a short while (You don’t say no to Jack Daniels more than once in a day.)
We chatted for awhile, which is a little unnerving, because it’s just chatting, no TV or children to distract us. So you get a lot discussed during this time. We also managed to yet again stuff ourselves full of appetizers and chicken.
And then we chatted some more and opened some wonderful gifts. (see above)
That’s the bulk of the holiday celebrations. This weekend, we’re going to the annual Pav./Alp./G./Waj/K. family holiday party, in which the magical punch will be present, and I will try desperately to avoid drinking so much of, since I also have the ROCKIN’ New Year’s Eve party to go to in Indiana on Saturday night.
See you on the other side of the hangover(z)…
RSS Trackback URL 29. December 2005 (23:35)Filed under: General, Entertainment Tonight